Growing Up Normal
by DarkHairedVeela
Summary: AU What would become of Prince Zuko if the Avatar was already captured and locked away? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could leave for good? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. Toko
1. The Middle

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: City of Ember, "Redemption" by Non-Stop Music  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

Edited: 2/28/12

G r o w i n g U p N o r m a l— P r e f a c e

His eyes were used to the blinding white walls and the blinding white lights that hung from the ceilings of the underground tunnels that were so prominent in the Earth Kingdom. It was a system adopted by the people from the ancient badgermoles of old. Honestly though, Prince Zuko didn't much care for history and traditions that had nothing to do with his own. All he cared about was getting where needed to get to. He had already memorized this particular burrowing system from years of travelling to Gaoling.

But it didn't really matter if he knew where he was going.

She would always find him.

He groaned when he felt a loose pebble, something not usually found in the perfect tunnels, hit the back of his neck. Even though she was the object of his trip, he couldn't help but feel dread wash over him.

"Back so soon, Prince Zuko?" Toph Bei Fong asked sweetly, her ever bare feet making a full stop well within his personal space. She was always trying to intimidate him.

"It's been two months since my last visit," he argued.

"Yes," she snorted unbecomingly. "You've become more and more frequent. What is it about Gaoling that has become so important to you?"

By the sound of her voice he knew she was in the mood for hurting.

"It's just a visit."

"And this is just Gaoling. Gaoling isn't important anymore. It's just a tiny little village compared to the Fire Nation Empire."

"You are upset."

Something in her face changed. A lot of things changed. At first it looked like she could just _murder_ the heir to the Fire Nation Empire but then her foggy eyes deadened some more and she gave him a smile so sweet that Zuko hoped his teeth wouldn't rot. She brought her hand up to his chest and then his neck where she pulled him down to her level. Her forehead and nose were aligned with his and he felt his heart stop when she closed her eyes.

"When I was a little girl, I dreamed of traveling the world, meeting new people." Toph's hand was buried in his hair now, her fingers combing through the strands almost roughly. "I hated Gaoling, and I hated my parents and I couldn't wait to get out."

"Ow!" Zuko exclaimed when she nearly ripped out a patch of his hair. She didn't seem to hear him.

"But I never got to leave because _you_ and your _men_ had to come marching into town." With one last wrench of her hand she snatched herself away from him. "It's been ten years since then, Zuko and I still haven't left Gaoling. I was supposed to be gone by now but you took my freedom away!"

"I didn—"

"Shut up!" she yelled, jabbing a finger into his chest as viciously as she could. "I wasn't meant for this life of wealth and etiquette."

"No one is forcing you to stay!" he yelled back.

She laughed, one tear rolling down her cheek. "I don't need to be forced. My parents are weak, they would lose everything if I left them."

Zuko paused to stare at her. He remembered his first visits to Gaoling and he remembered his many stays at the Bei Fong estate. But mostly he remembered Toph and their relationship they had no name for. He always knew she hated him but it wasn't until that moment that he knew how much. He reached out for her—maybe to hold her hand, touch her cheek, or maybe even to hit her. He wasn't sure and when Toph took a step back he knew he would never find out.

"So what is so important about Gaoling?" she repeated. Zuko's eye twitched. She seemed calm—the calmest she'd been since . . .

Zuko cleared his throat. He kept his eyes trained on the glowing orbs above him. Plasma reacting to a bunch of electricity. Toph began walking down the tunnel in the direction that would lead them to her home. "Can . . . can you get back to me on that one?"

Toph frowned. "You don't know?" After a moment, she laughed, the sound echoing through the halls. "You're such a spoiled prince."

Zuko scowled smoke curling from his nostrils. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Toph sighed. "It means whatever you want it to mean, oh perfect Prince." There was a moment of silence where everything about Toph seemed to collapse and drag. Her shoulders became hunched and Zuko could hear the dragging of her feet on the floor. She pulled her lips into her mouth and brought a tired hand to her forehead.

Maybe visiting wasn't a good idea after all.

"I wish you knew what you've gotten yourself into—what you've gotten me into."

And he wished he knew as well.


	2. The Beginning

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters

G r o w i n g U p N o r m a l—C h a p t e r O n e

A girl of about ten years of age snuck from her bedroom window to fall towards the earth below her. A couple rolls and tumbles later she struck the ground with her fist causing it to buckle from underneath her. She grinned victoriously as she ran through the underground tunnels, her arms outstretched and laughter flowing from her mouth. She had always known about the tunnels, ever since her run in four years prior with the badgermoles. Vibrations would tickle her feet as she felt people move about underneath her.

As she got closer and closer to the heart of Gaoling the deserted halls started to become more and more crowded. There were a few tiny vendors and shops that could be found in the tunnels, but the tunnels were mostly used to get from one place to another—quickly and safely. Ever since the Fire Nation conquered Ba Sing Se with Prince Iroh's victory. He was Fire Lord now.

But Toph was only a kid. She didn't care about those sort of things, she didn't understand them. All she cared about was her earthbending—a talent forced to keep hidden from the people she most wanted to share it with. She was afraid they would think her . . . abnormal.

Eventually the girl grew bored of walking through the tunnels so when her hand brushed against a door, she scrambled for the handle and walked through it. In front of her she could feel stairs leading upwards and into the town. She had only ever been to town once before, about a year earlier. She had to sneak that time as well. Not being used to so many people, and nine year old Toph had stayed in the same place for two hours, just listening. There were so many sounds and smells that she was glad she couldn't see anything. It was just overwhelming. But by the end of the day she knew the people she should have grown up with.

When she reached the top of the stairs, she smiled. She could feel a gentle warmth hug at her skin, she wondered where it could be coming from. Instead of standing in one place she walked around town for about twenty minutes. The shock of so many people in one place wasn't so shocking anymore. There weren't even that many people.

Suddenly, there was screaming. She heard crackling and popping and yelling. It remind her of the fire place in her room. People were jostling her around, pushing past her, trying—no doubt—to get to the underground tunnels where they would be safest. Toph bowed her head and tried to concentrate to the vibrations. What was it?

It was an army. Complete with fire catapults, firebenders, sword wielders and archers. There were even a few people who seemed to be holding guns.

"By Decree of Fire Lord Iroh," a voice so sinister boomed through the town square. "The city of Gaoling is now under control of the Fire Nation Empire."

Toph ran forward, pushing past all sorts of Fire Nation cavalrymen until she was standing not ten feet away from the man who had spoken. "Who are you?" she asked defiantly.

If city dwellers hadn't been silenced by the man's voice before, they were silenced now as they watched in horror as the small girl fulfilled a death wish.

"Who am I?" The man laughed, as did his men closest to him. "Who am _I_? Are you blind?"

"Yes," Toph replied, waving her hand in front of her face.

"Hm. Who are you?"

"I asked you first!" she whined.

There was the crackling sound again and the gasps of a few women of the city. "This isn't a joke, peasant. _Who are you_?"

Toph groaned. "Toph Bei Fong."

"Bei Fong?" a boy asked almost excitedly. The vibrations told Toph that he was standing not far behind the man. "As in _the_ Bei Fong's?"

"Quiet, Zuko," the man hissed. "Well, Miss _Bei Fong_. I'm under the impression that you and your family have a comfortable estate. Am I right?"

Toph nodded.

"You will be accommodating me and my son for the next few months."

The way he said it was clear. There would be no arguing with him. "But, I don't even know who you are?" she argued anyway.

The man laughed a cold laugh that caused everyone's heart rate to speed up uncomfortably. "Does Prince Ozai ring a bell?"

O.0.O.0.O

That was when Toph's life really started going. She learned _everything_ in the next few years, all thanks to the Fire Nation Empire's control of Gaoling. She taught herself how to fight, how to walk like a proper lady, how to use people to get what she wanted—she taught herself how to survive. The most important thing she learned?

She was the closest thing Gaoling would ever get to a princess.

.

. .

. . .

. . .

. .

.

Sorry it's short. School is a killer and I wanted you guys to know that I didn't forget this story. Yeah I'm working on it. Its gonna be a little project. It's a bit of something new with my favorite couple everrrr


	3. Entirely Available Distraction

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: "The Girls of the Night" (even though it doesn't _completely_ fit)  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

G r o w i n g U p N o r m a l—C h a p t e r T w o

"Hashi, can you help me with my hair," Toph called quietly, barely above a whisper.

Hashi nodded, "Milady." The familiar tug of the older girl's fingers soothed the young Bei Fong. It was an uncommon luxury to feel so at ease nowadays, especially with the Fire Nation royal family in town. Toph could feel the knots in her spine clutch and spasm. She remembered when Prince Ozai and his son had first bombarded their home. To this day she was still proud and stunned by how she spoke with him.

Demanding. Strong. Stable.

But still she wished she could have, somehow, driven the whole army away.

"I could've done it . . ."

"Sorry, milady?" Hashi asked befuddled.

"Nothing," Toph supplied quickly. "I meant if I could see, I would do my hair myself."

Hashi smiled at her master's daughter. "It's not a bother, ma'am. Would you object to some kohl on your eyes?"

Toph sighed. "No, I guess I don't. It's not every we are graced with the Fire Lords presence." She couldn't help but keep the sarcasm from reaching her voice.

Hashi gave a small titter at the Miss Bei Fong's antics. "Nor his son. I hear he is quite handsome, to be quite frank, milady." The well-known feeling of the supposedly dark kohl being applied to Toph's eyelids graced her senses. She had to admit that this too had become comforting in the past years. It was like the tunnels. The farther into the earth she buried herself the safer she felt. The more kohl on her eyes, the more she was protecting herself.

Toph snorted. "You're such a romantic. You know I don't care about the royal family."

"You are quite right, Lady Toph. But why deprive oneself of entirely _available_ distractions?"

Toph laughed with Hashi. "Thank you, Hashi," she said later, patting a hand gently against her loosely coiled locks. "I'll be down shortly."

"Yes, milady," the maid obeyed, bowing out of her bedchambers.

In the sudden silence Toph felt lost. Sorrow and Suffering had become her constant companions in the past four years. And now Sorrow was churning her stomach, and twisting it and flopping it inside and out—and Suffering was scratching at her spine, tearing at her skin, teasing her eyes with a sight she will never have.

With everything she had she wished she could just disappear in the darkness her eyes provided her.

The young girl shook her head. She couldn't wish things like that, couldn't hope. Her parents needed her far too much for her to disappear, and Toph loved them too much to abandon them. One last sigh escaped her lips before she stood and made her way downstairs to have tea with the most powerful family in the world.

The family that was the reason for her imprisonment.

She never met the Fire Lord before. Especially not Prince Lu Ten. She had no idea how to act around them. With Ozai and his family it was easy. She had them figured out after just a couple of visits. Prince Ozai respected strength, so as long as she remained immovable little sparks would fly. His wife, Ursa was kind enough for Toph to be herself. She treated Zuko and Azula with disdain 24/7 and the three of them would like to keep it that way. But the Fire Lord and his son? Nu-uh. Toph hadn't a clue.

So with her head held high, and her blind eyes wide she walked out into the patio that was furnished with luxurious couches and cushioned chairs made of thick braids of straw. Toph wiggled her toes on the stone tiles that were warmed by white lights from underneath. It seemed that the whole royal family had turned up.

"Hello, everyone," Toph said softly. All chatter diminished when she spoke until she took her usual seat between Azula and Zuko. Ugh.

"Would you like to introduce your daughter to my brother, Lao," Ozai said.

Toph couldn't help but relax. He sounded like he was in a good mood today.

"Oh, yes," Toph's father cleared his throat. "Fire Lord Iroh, this is Toph, my only child."

His only child resisted the urge to roll her eyes. _Stop acting so nervous, Dad._

"What a beautiful young girl," the rather large man complimented. "And she really is blind?"

"Yes," Lady Bei Fong stepped in. "But she handles it well. Very independent, aren't you Toph?"

Toph smiled demurely. In hopes of attracting the conversation away from herself she lifted the tea cup that had been placed before her by Hashi. "Here, milady." She said appearing at her side, handing her a table cloth. "I've been so _distracted_ I forgot give it to you earlier."

Toph giggled. Deciding it wouldn't hurt to at least get a vibration of what Prince Lu Ten looked like, she tapped her foot repeatedly on the stone floor. On Toph's left sat Azula, then Ozai, then her father, then Fire Lady Ursa who seemed to be chatting with Lady Bei Fong who sat next to her. Next to Toph's mother sat the Fire Lord and there, between his father and cousin Zuko sat Lu Ten. His head seemed to be inclined in her direction.

Startled, Toph lifted her foot from the floor. Blinking furiously, she took another sip of the jasmine tea the cook had made especially for the Fire Lord. The rumors Hashi expressed concerning the prince's good looks were almost proverbial throughout the world. Though looks didn't matter to Toph, she could . . . feel that his profile was quite becoming. She could tell, that if he were standing, the prince would be tall, and his shoulders were broad, and his face was angu—

"Your home is quite beautiful," a voice rolled from her right. "Miss Toph."

She bowed her head minutely. "Thank you, Prince Lu Ten. I wouldn't know," she replied waving a hand in front of her foggy green eyes. The table erupted, well, no—more hiccupped into fits of laughter. Fire Lord Iroh's chortles were the most jovial of them all. There was no competition.

"No," Lu Ten continued, "I suppose you wouldn't. But tell me," he began inquisitively. "How do you manage with no sight nor assistance, to make your way around?"

"She earthbends," Azula answered for her.

"I'm not following . . ."

Zuko sighed exasperatedly from beside her. "Just explain it already, you know you're dying to."

She kicked him from under the table earning her a stern look from her mother who noticed Zuko's pained expression. Silent though it was. "Do you want the long version or the short version?"

Lu Ten shrugged, "Long?"

"Alright." She stalled, biting into a dumpling. "When I was a little girl I ran away and found myself in an unfinished part of the Tunnels. I didn't know what to do or where to go until a band of Badgermoles discovered me. They like me are blind, and somehow they knew that and they taught me how to "see" the vibrations in the earth. So every time you move, every step you take, and every pound your heart makes, I can feel it."

"Marvelous," the Fire Lord clapped his hands. "What a talent your daughter is, Lao, Poppy."

Toph bit her lip because she could feel someone's eyes on her. She placed her foot on the stone once more—Lu Ten was still facing towards her. She could feel her heart patter against her chest a little faster than normal. She tried to look back in his direction and smiled. A small tug at the corner of her lips. Suddenly she felt a sharp jab at her shin. She suppressed a growl and shook the ground under Zuko's chair threateningly.

Zuko whispered furiously at her, but all she could hear was Lu Ten's laughter.

What a distraction, indeed.

O.0.O.0.O

The spring she turned fifteen, Prince Lu Ten proposed to Toph Bei Fong.

She accepted.

.

. .

. . .

. . .

. .

.

Authors note:

Okay so I suppose this would be a slight alternate universe in terms of the odd electricity that the original avatar world has never heard of. So far it doesn't mean much, I'm just testing the futuristic mixed with the not so futuristic.

So yeah how did you like chapter two/three? Whatever…..

Please leave a review :)


	4. To An Army

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: "Stand Still, Look Pretty" ~Wreckers  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

G r o w i n g U p N o r m a l—C h a p t e r T H R E E

"My father believes in the integration of different cultures," Lu Ten said one evening. They had locked themselves away in one of the basement libraries of the Bei Fong mansion. Toph was lying spread eagled on her back, her fingers twitching as she picked up the distant movements of the badgermoles deep underground and of Lu Ten. Her fiancé was busy reading a scroll he had picked up on the journey to their familiar niche. Before the proposal they would come here all the time and it felt nice to go back to that . . . normalcy.

Toph sighed, throwing a fatalistic arm over her face. "That doesn't solve the problem, _Lu Ten_."

". . .What's the problem again?" he asked distractedly. His eyes kept flitting back and forth from the fraying scroll and Toph.

"Ughhhhnnnh, never mind, Soldier Boy," she muttered, turning over onto her stomach bury her face in the stone. In the process she may or may not have accidently sent a few (heavy, though it's debatable) pebbles at the young prince's temple.

"_Okay!_" he exclaimed, tossing the scroll into the shadows. "I'm listening, _dear_."

"Oh, were we talking? I thought you were reading," she smirked into the ground. Suddenly a pair of strong hands gripped at her sides and pulled her close. "_Whoa_, now mister."

Lu Ten pressed his lips against her cheek. "Stop acting like a baby," he chuckled when she continued to squirm.

"Pffft."

The prince rested his forehead against her temple. "You have my attention now. What's the problem with me going to the Southern Water Tribe? I travel all the time and it's never bothered you so bad."

Toph shrugged against him.

Lu Ten sighed, leaning his head back on the shelves behind him. "Okay, I could always just try to read your thoughts." He glanced down at his fiancé to see that small evil grin grace her lips. "Let see . . . well we know you aren't going to miss me . . ." She shrugged, uncommitted. "Ouch."

She giggled. "I just _don't_ have that problem, Lu Ten. It's not personal."

He scoffed playfully. "It's completely personal. I'm your fiancé . . . It's Zuko isn't it?" he exclaimed, incredulously. "I knew you've always had a thing for him!"

"Idiot," Toph reached up to kiss him on the mouth, silencing his chortles. "Don't play with me like that. You know how much I hate him," she glowered, suddenly glum. "He took my home away."

Things between Toph and Lu Ten were not what you would call smooth. They weren't constantly staring into each other's eyes dreamily—1) she was blind and 2) he really was not into all that romantic gushy stuff. Not to mention, his inheritance was the reason for her and her city's suffering. They had a lot of arguments about it that could last for days. Both of them were very prideful people about _everything_ under the Agni forsaken sun.

Love was hard when they were constantly thinking _I'm supposed to hate this person_.

"Zuko didn't take anything from you. He was a kid when my uncle claimed Gaoling." Lu Ten could feel his temper begin to simmer. Hadn't they been over this enough?

"Your uncle wasn't a kid, your father wasn't a kid . . ." and then a little less bravely she whispered, "you weren't just a kid." Lu Ten pushed her away then. Her nails clung to the stone ground he deposited her upon. "I was a kid . . ." The vibrations in the earth told her that Lu Ten was crossing his arms above his chest, his head bent down. She could feel the heat radiating off him and she knew he was getting angrier and angrier by each word she spoke. But she couldn't stop. "Did you know," she ventured quickly, hoping he wouldn't cut her off. "That the day your uncle marched into Gaoling was only my second time outside these mansion walls? I was going to runaway that day," she said reminiscently. "I wanted to get out so badly. My parents were always forcing themselves up my ass _every day_, trying to keep me safe, keep me healthy. I didn't want to be safe, I wanted to get sick, and roll around in the mud and get in trouble. I wanted to start fights and punch in every brain that I could . . . I was so . . ._ ready _to leave."

Lu Ten had relaxed by then, and slowly he was turning to face Toph as she seemed to forget about him and become a ten-year-old little girl again he watched as her eyes glazed over more than usual. The white light gleamed harshly against her dark hair. He imagined what she would have looked like to his Uncle Ozai and to his cousin Zuko.

To an army of a million men.

"Where would you have gone?" he prompted suddenly thirsty for her words. He was always craving for her to speak, it didn't matter what she said, so long as she said it to him.

"Omashu first," she said swiftly without hesitation. "I didn't know how to get there, but I could travel underground, with the badgermoles. They know how to get _anywhere_. I just wanted to travel, go places you know?" she asked suddenly happy. "The life of a drifter—now that's elegant," then with a defeated shrug she continued, "but I didn't even get a chance to explore my own city when it was mine to explore. So forgive me for feeling just the teensiest bit of resentment towards your uncle and his son, and for my unwillingness to support your 'integration' of Southern Water Tribe cultures."

For perhaps the first time, Lu Ten felt guilt. He opened his mouth to speak but found her lips surrounding the space his words should've been. He pulled her close to him until he could feel every line of her body, every measurement that was his Toph. He was suddenly overcome by a whirlwind of desire as her tiny little fingers began to clutch tighter and tighter to his tunic. She had just poured everything in her heart out into the open and all he could do was kiss her, and mumble his love for her. When Toph finally pulled away she was straddling his lap and his hand was buried somewhere under the folds of her silken robes where his fingers found smooth skin.

"So when you're in the Southern Water Tribe conquering more land for your empire, think about how terrified and heartbroken those little symbolic Tophs will be when they realize they don't have a home to call their own anymore."

"Don't do that to me, Toph," he murmured pleadingly. "I get it, okay? I'm beginning to understand, just don't say that to me. It'll kill me."

She kissed him again, tenderly. "Sorry, Soldier Boy . . . When do you leave?"

"Maybe a month at the latest," he replied, burying his face in her chest to listen to her heartbeat. "Father says it will be a short . . . adventure." He didn't want to say conquest. Not in front of her.

"Okay," she sighed, hugging him to her. "Will you be mine for the rest of this month then?"

Why was she asking such a ridiculous question?

He didn't understand why they both felt tears in their eyes. He didn't understand why she loved him when his family caused her so much pain. He didn't understand why he loved someone so against the Fire Nation Empire.

"I love you, Toph," he choked, stroking her hair.

O.0.O.0.O

"Azula," Toph hissed. "Are you coming or not?"

"Don't shit yourself, Little Girl," Princess Azula shot back. "I just wanna make sure everything's perfect."

Toph wiggled her toes, feeling around the house. "Everyone's asleep. Let's _go_."

"Fine." With one last glance down the hall Azula snatched up Toph's hand before racing down to the basement. "You know they make this to easy."

Toph laughed. "You have no idea."

A year ago, Toph would have never believed that Azula was the "rule-breaking" type. But wouldn't you know it? They were sneaking out, and they were going to get away with it, dammit. They stopped in front of the basement staircase, Azula watched Toph carefully, waiting. The young heiress smirked and nodded. "Okay, all good," she raced down the stairs, into the glowing light that always managed to discombobulate Azula.

Once they were far enough along the tunnels Azula spoke. "So where are we going this time? Another party?"

"You've seen enough Earth Kingdom parties," Toph said off-handedly. "_I've _seen enough of those."

"Then where are we going?"

Toph's lips quirked nervously. "You'll see."

"Whatever," the princess shrugged, inspecting her nails.

Their friendship was a weird one. It revolved solely on getting away with things their parents would strongly disapprove of. The solace they found in each other wasn't even all that comforting in the first place but somehow it worked. They forgot their worries—their pain. There was something going on with Azula, though exactly what it was Toph had no idea. She secretly hoped the princess would let her in on the big secret. In the past year of sneaking and goofing off during the night they had grown close. Or at least Toph thought they had.

"Hey," Azula ventured suddenly when Toph bent them to a lower level of white light. "Three months right? Excited for married life?"

Toph snorted, "No. Would you be excited?"

"Of course not," she drawled. "I was just wondering . . ."

"What?"

Azula shrugged. "If marriage was different in the Earth Kingdom . . . I don't know better?"

"Hell if I know. I haven't really been married before."

"Are you happy?" The firebender said it so quickly, so softly that Toph almost missed it.

Toph ran her hands along the tunnel walls—they were getting close. She didn't want to talk about her happiness around Azula. Not at all. "Yeah, I'm happy, Azula . . . If something's bothering you then you should just spit it out, yeah?"

Azula cleared her throat and shook her head. "Nothing's bothering me. It's just Lu Ten's not how he used to be. He smiles a lot. It's weird."

"Gee, thanks."

"Yup. So I've waited long enough, Little Girl. I think you should tell me where we're going now," she said demandingly.

Toph grinned wickedly before slamming on the wall next to her. In a cloud of dust the two girls stepped into a large arena filled with sweaty hollering people. Pebbles were flying everywhere, and the ground beneath them shook and trembled magnificently. "Earth Rumble X preliminaries."

Now was the moment of truth. Would Azula tattle? Would Toph lose the only happiness left from her childhood? Was this all a big, big, big earthquake of a mistake?

Or would it all turn out fine?

Toph focused her senses on the older girl. She could feel her quickened heartbeat and the unsteadiness of her legs due to the shaking ground. Toph could never get a good feel of what Azula was thinking—she was too good with her emotions.

"Well, it's a good thing I wore Earth Kingdom clothes. Wouldn't be safe entering a room with a ten thousand people that hate you."

Toph breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Azula."

The princess shrugged. "It'll be cool. Do you fight?"

Toph grinned. "Fuck, do I fight! I'm the champion, six years running. But I'm not playing tonight; I thought we'd just watch."

"Alright."

.

. .

. . .

. . .

. .

.

A/N:

I know a lot of you are worrying about how this will turn into a Toko story and I assure you it will. Let the story develop people. Just let it happen. Haha.

I thought Azula needed some attention since she'll be importantish later.

What did you think? Huh?


	5. Do You Feel the Hurt Yet?

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: "A Little Too Much" ~Natasha Bedingfield and "Desert Kingdom (Lisle Moore)" ~Non-Stop Music  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko) Toph/Lu Ten  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

G r o w i n g U p N o r m a l—C h a p t e r T H R E E

Zuko was angry—no he was fuming. He was positively _livid_.

At least he looked livid.

Azula glanced at him from the doorway of her permanent room in the Bei Fong manor. "Whoa. You look grumpy."

Zuko crossed his arms and continued to glare in the direction of his sister. "Where'd you and Toph go this time?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, _Mom_." Azula walked over and yanked her brother from off her bed, before burying herself in the warm heavy covers. When she realized that Zuko was still glaring she groaned. "What?"

"You two sneak out almost every night and I want to know _where you go_ once and for all."

Azula groaned again, sitting up. Her fingers slid absentmindedly through her hair. "Seriously, Zuko. I have no idea what you are talking about," she lied. "As far as I know Toph stayed here in the manor all night."

"She wasn't in her room."

"Stalker, much?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I checked her room after I found yours empty—again. Where were you?"

"_I_ went out for a walk," Azula supplied. "Couldn't sleep."

"Where'd you go?"

"The Tunnels. Found a bar, got a drink. You done?" she asked giving her brother a once over. "I'd like to get some sleep."

"No. If Toph wasn't with you and if she wasn't in her room, where was she?"

"I don't think you want to know." Azula gave a fake pity sigh before snuggling back into her pillows. She watched as his features morphed from irritated to pained.

"Azula, don't play with me," he warned.

"I'm not playing with you, Dumb Dumb. They've been getting awfully close lately."

He shook his head. "They've always been close."

Azula snorted. "Yes . . . but I mean . . . _close_."

Zuko's eyes widened and his eyebrows just about disappeared behind his hairline. "Toph isn't married to him yet."

Azula laughed audaciously, "_So_?"

"_Azula_, tell me where Toph went." He didn't want to believe it, he wouldn't.

"Agni," she swore. "Just take a peak in Lu Ten's room, already, Dumb Dumb."

"Fine, I will. But you're wrong. They aren't—they didn't have . . ." he trailed off, making his way to the door.

"Sex?" she supplied bluntly, yawning.

Zuko made sure to slam the door before making his way down the hall. He could feel his heart beat faster and faster. The sound of his boots was becoming painful and his fists were tightly clenched. He hated getting angry about Toph—with his cousin. Jealousy was not something he was supposed to feel; not when Lu Ten was so happy.

Zuko passed a large alcove where his mother sat reading. The sight of her calmed him a little and he paused to greet her good morning.

"Hello Zuko," Ursa said kindly with a small smile. She looked back to her scroll, her finger dancing along the parchment impatiently. "Your father and I are leaving for Ba Sing Se you remember?"

"Yes, Mother."

"You will watch Azula, yes?" She glanced back up at her son, her eyes baring deep into his. "Something about her isn't right."

"Something about her hasn't been right since birth, Mom," he qualified with a smirk.

"Don't say that about your sister. I'm serious, Zuko. Just make sure she'll be okay in our absence."

"Okay, Mom."

"Thank you, Zuko." The Fire Lady returned to her scroll, "You can go back to stomping around like an elephantbear now."

He rolled his eyes before doing just that. When Lu Ten's door was in sight, he slowed.

_Azula always lies_, he reminded himself.

But what if she's right? Just this once.

His hand reached for the handle. Could he take it? To see Toph Bei Fong, a girl he had loved for five years, with someone else? His fingers curled around the metal and with one last deep breath he wrenched it open.

Lu Ten's room was much like the other guest suites in the Bei Fong manor. Beautiful golds and greens and whites decorated the walls with drapes that seemed to pull out a different dimension. Zuko spent nearly half his life living in the manor and he always found it beautiful. Unfortunately the beauty was missing with the sight of Lu Ten and his fiancé kissing.

He tried to shove down his anger and his jealousy—the hurt. But it was becoming increasingly impossible as the two continued. They were lying on the bed and Toph had her hands buried behind Lu Ten's open tunic as he hovered over her. Suddenly her head turned towards the door—almost exactly where Zuko was standing. His breath caught in his throat. Did she know he was there? Her hand reached out from Lu Ten's chest to the stone wall but before it could get there Zuko backtracked into the hallway, shutting the door. He screwed his eyes shut, trying to dispel what he had just seen and hoping she wouldn't see him standing just outside the door.

Emptiness churned in his stomach.

He wanted to kill him.

Prickles traveled from the back of his head to his eyes, to his throat.

He wanted to hurt her.

Zuko shook his head and shoved his fists into his robe pockets before walking back down the hallway.

He didn't have the courage for either of those things.

Azula's door was, he noticed, cracked open as he drew nearer. He stood there for a moment, waiting until she pushed the door open enough for her to stick her head out. Zuko watched her warily as she seemed to glare into the eyes that were nearly identical to her own. Eventually her eyes softened to such a degree that Zuko thought she had transformed into an entirely different person. She gave him an apologetic smile, though it had I-told-you-so written all over it.

"You need to stop loving her," she whispered so that none of the maids could gossip. "Toph's like me. She'll find out and she'll make sure you hurt, because she hates you."

His eyes widened. "She hates me?" He felt like he was being stabbed repeatedly in the stomach.

"Oh, Dumb Dumb," Azula said with sincere pity. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You were there the day Gaoling became a part of the Fire Nation Empire, with Dad. To her, you're part of the reason she's miserable."

With every word she said her hand felt heavier and heavier. He shook it off afraid the weight would push him to the floor below. "Why are you telling me this, Azula?" he asked moving away from her.

She shrugged, "You would waste love on a person who hates you?"

Maybe he felt more pain because of the flippant way she said it so flippantly. Didn't she understand that to him Toph had been worth it? "Right," he agreed before stalking off.

O.0.O.0.O

"Zuko was standing outside your door," Toph said, her cold fingers dancing on his ribs.

"When?" Lu Ten mumbled, running his fingers through her silver dark hair.

She shrugged, unconcerned. "Five minutes ago, maybe?" Her lips found his clumsily and she smiled. "Pretend I didn't say anything. I don't want to talk about your cousin."

"Neither do I," he said happily, pulling her into another kiss. After a blissful moment he pulled away. "So where were you last night? I came to your room after the war meeting but you were gone."

_Shit_, she thought. "When did your meeting end?"

"Late," he said wearily. "An hour to midnight, I'd say. There's still so much to do. I had hoped we'd be finished planning by now."

She placed a hand on his cheek before letting her lips give way to a smirk. "Well I'm horrible at keeping track of time, but that must have been when Azula and I went out. She needed to get away for a little bit."

"Is she okay?"

Toph's brow furrowed. "I don't know," she said truthfully. "She's been acting weird for a couple months now but she hasn't fessed to anything."

They were quiescent for a moment. They could hear the morning chirpings of the eaglecats from outside the window. _It sounded so different compared to the Fire Nation capitol_, Lu Ten thought.

"Maybe," he said thoughtfully. "She's homesick."

"Pfft. She likes it here, Lu Ten."

"Yeah, but she—we _all_ love the Fire Nation. We all grew up there."

"Hm," Toph said objectively. "It's just hard to imagine a homesick Azula."

Lu Ten snaked his arms around her waist to pull her closer. "You're right. But Azula isn't an easy person to figure out anyway. Maybe nothings even bothering her." He kissed her temple and breathed in the scent of her hair. "You smell like dirt."

"Mhhh dirt," she giggled, pushing her nose into his neck. "You smell like smoke."

"Mhhh smoke," he mocked. "I think you'd like the Fire Nation capitol, Toph. It smells like smoke all the time."

"I only like smoke on you," she clarified, brushing her lips against his neck.

He pulled away to look at her face. She looked tired—there were dark circles under her eyes and her hair lay limp against her scalp. Gravity had her lids pulled over her striking blind eyes and he _knew_ he shouldn't start something with her. He _knew _she was trying.

However, the thing was that Lu Ten was frustrated almost to the point of madness. Everything he once believed to be true about his heritage and his nation had, in the past year been turned upside down and twisted into something alien. And he fully blamed the girl in his arms. She made him hate himself more than ever and yet, simultaneously she made him feel like the luckiest man in the world.

But he had to. He had to start something with her.

"You're going to have to come to the Fire Nation regardless, Toph." She was silent for so long, that Lu Ten figured she was trying to ignore him. Suddenly, she pushed away from him and she rearranged her mussed tie at the waist of her sleeping robe. Her shoulders were shaking. "Hey, don't leave."

"I'm hungry," she mumbled pushing herself off the bed. "I'll get Hashi to bring up some firebacon for you."

"No. Stay," he demanded.

Toph swung around to face him. Her glaring eyes were a little askew but he got the picture. They were wet. "Quit bossing me around, Lu Ten."

"I wasn't bo—"

"Yes," she interrupted. "You were. Why do you always have to talk about the Fire Nation and ruin everything?"

He sat up and lowered his voice threateningly, "Maybe because it's going to be my kingdom one of these days, and since we're getting married, Toph, I think you should get used to the idea of it being yours too."

"But I don't want it!" Her foggy eyes were wild and her cheeks were becoming flushed.

"Yes you do," he insisted. "You're marrying me. The Fire Nation comes with me."

Toph let out a growl of frustration. "But I'm not marrying the _Fire Nation_, Lu Ten! I'm not marrying the Empire, I'm not marrying the _crown_. I'm marrying_ you_." Her hands found his face. "Because I love _you_."

"And I love you," he assured her, his hands holding hers to his face. "But what are you going to do when I have to take you there? To live together, to have a family of our own? For me to be who I was born to be?"

Toph leaned in, her nose sliding against his. There was something off about her and for the first time in his life Lu Ten was truly frightened. Her thump stroked his high cheekbones and her breath hitched in time with his.

"You will have all of those things," she whispered. "I will be the perfect wife, I will love you and I will start a family with you. But I swear to the moon spirit, Agni, and the earth beneath my feet that I will kill myself before I become Fire Lady."

"Toph . . ." he said, startled. She snatched herself away before he could bring her closer.

"Don't worry, Lu Ten. It's a promise."

Lu Ten's eyes widened at her words and he found himself speechless as he watched his fiancé stomp out of his room. For a moment he just sat there callously motionless. Suddenly he reached for the pillows and set them aflame, his breathing erratic and his eyes streaming with tears he wished he could forget.

O.0.O.0.O

Making her way down the regal stairs she sensed Zuko leaning against the railing. Brushing her eyes clean of tears she snatched up his elbow and dragged him along.

"Hey!" he shouted. "What the fu—"

"You are coming with me." Once they reached the bottom of the stairs she stopped immediately and Zuko nearly toppled over top of her. "I need to change," she said touching her sleeping robes. "Wait here, I'm going to get changed . . . _and_ . . . Azula is coming to. Yeah Azula needs to come."

She was all over the place—her eyes were wide and her head was moving in all directions. The ground beneath their feet seemed to tremble a little, and it was getting worse. Zuko noticed that her eyes were red and her bangs were hanging in her face haphazardly. "Hey," he said calmly. "You need to calm down. You're gonna start an earthquake again."

"Don't tell me what to do," she snapped with sudden clarity, before racing up the stairs again.

Zuko watched after her until he remembered that he was supposed to hate her. "Shit."


	6. Twisted, Unrecognizable, Strangled

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: Weekend~The Birthday Massacres  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

G r o w i n g U p N o r m a l—C h a p t e r F I V E

Azula was quite . . . displeased when Toph shook her awake. Her ears started to smoke. It was, in her opinion, not worth a care if her cousin's future wife was near the breaking point.

Earth Rumble X had been fun enough, but _really Toph? Couldn't I have a few hours to, I don't know, _sleep_?_

"_Toph_, I really don't think you should be pulling me out of bed right now. It isn't safe for you. Little Girl, get your stupid hands off me! I will not hesitate," the princess seethed, her claw-like nails digging into Tophs arms, "to summon the most damning bolt of lightning out of that sky. Unhand me!" With a moment more of struggle Azula was able to shake the blind girl off.

"You can sleep at the dojo. Come on you gotta help me get dressed."

"No. I will sleep right here thank you."

"Look, I _promise_ I won't ask anything of you ever again," Toph offered, her temper rising at the sight of Azula laying her head back on the pillow. "Zuko's coming, you know how I can't stand him, you need to come."

The sleepy girl groaned—she had almost fallen asleep. "Why would you bring Zuko?"

"Amo's been wanting to meet your brother since he met you," Toph supplied. "Plus, I wasn't really thinking. I just saw him on the stairs and I didn't want to be alone."

"You always want to be alone," Azula quipped.

Toph growled. "Drinks on me after. Come on help me get dressed."

Azula glared at her friend. "You're lucky I love you."

Toph sneered. "Oh stop, the sarcasm kills my soul."

Eventually the two did make it down the stairs, though Azula wobbled clumsily and Toph stomped so viciously that she nearly tripped over her purple and orange kimono. Azula glared at the younger girl the entire way down, and when she caught sight of Zuko just standing there like an idiot prince Dumb Dumb she glared even harder.

"Food," Toph prompted, leading the way determinedly.

Zuko took a sidelong glance at his sister and flinched. "What's your problem?"

Azula just continued glaring. Zuko rolled his eyes before promptly running into Toph who had stopped walking right in front of him. "Thanks, Toph. It was on my to-do list to stub my toe today."

"Oh, boo hoo," Azula mocked.

"We can't go into the dining hall," she whispered quickly.

"Why not?" Azula asked. But Toph was already pulling the two of them in the other direction towards the kitchens, her eyes wide.

_Her cheeks are flushed_, Zuko noticed. He frowned. Noticing flushed cheeks was not going to rid his love of her.

The three had not taken more than five steps before a voice flowed from the dining hall. "Toph?" Lu Ten called.

The girl in question tensed as she pulled the prince and princess of the Fire Nation Empire even more harshly. "Come on, come on, come on."

_Why is she running from Lu Ten?_

Once they reached the kitchens Toph leaned against the stone wall next to the door. Her toes were inclined upwards against the wall and her fingers tapped like a separate heartbeat as she listened to the rock. "He isn't following," she said, able to hide only most of her disappointment.

Azula shot her an annoyed look before shuffling amongst the many counters in search for some breakfast. It wasn't hard to find—the delicious, smoky aroma led them right to the rice and firebacon. The princess picked at one strip while the Bei Fong heiress shoved five into her mouth and swallowed it in one gulp. Zuko raised an eyesbrow at the girls antics.

"Alrighty, princess," Toph spoke referring to Zuko. "You need to eat something. I will not tolerate complaints today."

Azula cackled loudly in the background as Zuko gaped. "What did you just call me?"

"Oh, sorry," she said, obviously not. "You're looking quite pretty today, Zu Zu."

"You're _blind_."

"Oops, I forgot." Toph picked up about seven more strips of firebacon from the counter and stuffed them into her sleeves. "Seriously though, if you complain, you die."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I ate earlier with my mother."

Toph made a face. She couldn't insult him where his mother was concerned—she was far too nice to be the brunt of any joke. "Come on," she growled, feeling her bad mood crawl across her skin again.

Zuko was rather surprised when Toph passed the Tunnel entrance in the kitchen and out the door into the Bei Fong gardens. The sky was cloudy and the air felt fairly muggy, within moments, Zuko was rubbing sweat from his brow. "Why did we use the Tunnels?" he asks.

"Gaoling isn't an underground city, Zuko," Toph said exasperatedly. She sped forward muttering along the way leaving Azula and Zuko to follow from behind. Her head was inclined skywards, oddly. If she weren't already blind, Zuko was pretty convinced that she would be then with brilliant streaks of light poking through the clouds.

"Do you know what's up with her?" Zuko asked his sister softly.

Azula opened her mouth for a moment but quickly closed it. She appeared to be thinking intensely about Zuko's question, something _rare_. Then again, it involved Toph so maybe she actually cared. Eventually she ventured, "I think your favorite engaged couple had another fight."

"Fight?"

"Yeah," Azula nodded. "They fight all the time, Dumb Dumb."

"About _what_?" To Zuko they had always seemed like the happy-go-lucky couple. Well not completely, but in public there was never . . . tension between the two of them.

"A lot of things," Azula shrugged.

"Well, what was it this time?"

Azula snorts annoyed. "I don't know. We don't talk about things like that," she scoffed.

Unexpectedly, the earth began to soften around Zuko's feet until he was submerged to his knees. The mud hardened around him and he struggled to keep his balance. Toph stood in front of him and he looked up at her—an angle he didn't normally come across. Her arms were crossed tightly as she seemed to croak the words in a hoarse voice: "You really don't know how to whisper."

Azula chuckled rubbing her tired eyes. "Why did we have to bring him again?"

Toph starts. She had told Azula that Amo wanted to meet him, and that was true, but it wasn't the initial reason she forced Zuko on this adventure. Why she had taken hold of his elbow and said _You are coming with me_, she had no idea. She wanted to shut down right then, just fall victim to her emotions and let them have it at her. She was so _tired_, so _confused _about everything lately. Toph didn't not know why Zuko was here, and Azula was on to her. You can't lie to a liar after all. Avoiding the question, the earthbender hooks her hands under Zuko's arms and tugs him from the earth. "Let's get going. We'll be late."

While Zuko was busy rubbing off his knees and glaring at the heads of the two girls, Azula sidled up alongside Toph. "Where are we going?"

"The dojo."

Azula groans. "And what about my drink, hmm?"

"Shit, you're such a princess. You can sleep at the dojo, promise."

"Dojo? No one's supposed to be practicing bending here," Zuko butts in startled. "This is a Fire Nation colony! No one should be learning earthbending no matter how . . . privileged."

Azula groans rubbing her eyes again. Her brother's voice seemed to make them heavier and heavier. On the other hand, Toph laughed.

Honestly, Zuko was surprised. He never saw her laugh like that—never saw her smile like that. Normally she giggled, or smirked but mostly she frowned. Never ever, did she look free enough to make a sound like _that_. For a moment Zuko was thrown back to when he was fourteen and she was ten. She had sounded strong then and she sounded strong now.

What had happened in between?

_I have to hate her_.

"I don't need a teacher. I'm the greatest earthbender in the _world_. I _teach_ earthbending, princess."

"That's illegal," Zuko growled, scandalously

"Keep your voice down," Azula jumped in. Zuko looked around and realized that there were indeed a few city folk listening in on their conversation. Zuko scowled at a few of them. "Uncle gave her special permission."

"_Why_?" Zuko said incredulously. "She could be building an army for all we know." He was staring down Toph by now and he didn't completely know where he found all this anger but he was glad it was able to finally show up. You need anger for hate, right?

"_Prince Zuko_," Toph gave him a fake curtsey, and though he knew it made no difference she wouldn't look into his eyes, or even attempt to. "Two students cannot pass as an army."

"Oh they can pass," he qualified. "If they're being taught by you."

"And then what, Zuko?" Toph took a step forward.

It wasn't until then that he noticed that they were standing the closest to each other they ever had. And then Azula's voice was running through his head, mercilessly.

_She hates you_.

Zuko gulped and she continued. "Once they pass as an army they'll overthrow the Fire Nation Empire, right? My future husband's inheritance?" Despite her blindness, and her earlier determination to keep her head down, Toph seemed to give the prince a once over. "Hm. Interesting."

Azula took this as the perfect opportunity to take Toph by the elbow. "Quit making him more suspicious." Toph shook the girl's hand off and continued walking down the thickest road that ran through Gaoling.

The village had flourished since the Fire Nation's arrival, now it was a bustling city. There were a lot more people living in Gaoling than there were when Toph was a little girl. She had to admit that she had a love for it. The still growing multitude of people was the only reason she stayed year after year. They needed someone to speak for them, someone strong with a hard voice. And quite frankly, her parents were as good as mute.

She was the only one they had left.

Even though she couldn't notice the glances her people sent her way, she understood. The way they inclined their heads went unobserved. The way they seemed to stand up straighter when she walked the streets was irrelevant. But she understood, and they in turn understood that she was trying to help.

Eventually, the spaces between buildings began to grow, until all that was left were trees and a heavily trodden trail. She began to walk faster, reveling in the exercise. Not two years ago, she was confined to the Bei Fong estate. She was back to square one—the only taste of freedom was that of her extensive garden. It had been the most frustratingly trying time of her life because she wanted to leave worse than ever before. But had she left, she would have never been able to return with the Fire Nation still in control.

It wasn't until she met Lu Ten that she could call something her own. He gave her things all the time. When he traveled to Ba Sing Se or Omashu he would bring her a rock, sometimes precious stones. He would sneak her out of the house sometimes and they would roam the streets under dark cloaks during the night. Once, Lu Ten tried to introduce her to the ocean on one of the Fire Navy ships—it had been a horrible experience.

But the rush of freedom was one she would never forget.

Perhaps, it was why she loved him so much. Her fiancé wasn't built for politics, or duty, or propriety—though he was not inept. He was, as Fire Lord Iroh would put it, like a forest fire—wild, and nearly impossible to smother. That was what made him taste of freedom to Toph.

When he proposed to her, he had brought her into the woods.

Stopping at the base of a large hill he had taken her hand and placed it against the earth. "Make it hollow, Toph. Right there," he had said. And when she did he instructed her to create an entryway.

With two simple knocks, the earth fell away to the open room she had created. Lu Ten pulled her in and had spoken quickly. "This place is yours. Not your parents', not the Fire Nation's. Yours."

"Really?" she had asked breathlessly, excited.

"Yeah," he assured her. "You can have a dojo. I asked my father and he doesn't see the harm in you teaching just a couple earthbenders. So long as you keep it secret."

"My own dojo?" Her hands flew up to his face as she grinned. "I can teach?"

Lu Ten laughed. "Yes. Toph?" he had ventured. "Can I ask one thing of you first?"

Toph had nodded.

"Will you do me the _extreme_ honor of marrying me?"

Toph growled viciously, tearing herself away from the memory. The thought of him still made her angry. How could he say such things to her? Their relationship was complicated enough without his stupid, stupid, _stupid_ words getting thrown willy nilly.

The base of the hill he had given her was covered in flowers, all she could see were the roots underneath the ground but they seemed beautiful all the same. She tapped her knuckles on the earth and it opened to a stair case that led into her dojo.

There was no lighting system like the Tunnels and once all three had cleared the steps they were thrown into darkness. "Uhhh . . ." Zuko began.

Toph rolled her eyes and Azula sighed exasperatedly as she bent a ball of blue dancing fire in her palm. "Toph, where's the torch from last time?"

Toph pointed, and Azula retrieved it, lit it, and propped it on the wall. The princess then, quite gracefully in fact, collapsed to the earthen floor and fell sound asleep.

Zuko cleared his throat as Toph made her way to the center of the room. In the light of Azula's blue torch, he watched her steps. She didn't lift her feet, which upon leaving the busier parts of Gaoling had become bare. She made her steps in wide circles, skidding her feet on the dirt. "You teach them in the dark?"

"Yup."

She didn't say anything else and Zuko didn't ask her anything else after that. She eventually fell into a common, though strong earthbending stance: legs spread apart and bent at the knees with her fists pulled back against her hips. She stood like that for a long time and they didn't say anything. For a while, Zuko even managed not to look at her, he just watched the fire dance. And he was fine with it—not looking at Toph that is.

But then Azula snored.

Like she really, really snored.

Normally, Zuko might've laughed. He would've milked it for all it was worth. He would've woken up his sister and tortured her with pigmonkey snorts for the rest of eternity. Normally.

But at the sound of of Azula's snore must have been to sudden and unexpected because it appeared that Toph couldn't handle it. Zuko was looking at her again because her once perfect stable body was now shaking and trembling as if her legs were struggling to hold her up.

Then it happened.

Honestly, it was a chance of luck—or maybe unluck—that the light from the torch captured the tiny droplet. For a moment that tear turned into a diamond, until it splattered to the ground at her feet. She knew he saw it and by the way her head seemed to incline in his direction tipped him off. She wouldn't say anything if he didn't, which was good because he didn't care if she cried.

He hated her.

Toph would deny her tears and Azula was asleep and unaware. All he had to do was forget it and he was set.

And so they continued waiting. Toph was once again stable and Zuko was back to analyzing the torch. Once, he bent the flame on the torch to grow in size but when he did it turned from Azula's silver blue to his golden red. He quickly pulled his hand away, ashamed. Why couldn't he be something extraordinary?

At last, the sound of sliding earth signaled the arrival of two quite different looking boys. The oldest of two looked to be about eleven years old and the way he ambled into the dojo clearly established him as the one in charge. Or the one who thought he was in charge. He had the familiar deep green eyes and light brown hair that so many earthbending cities had.

The younger one, looked no more than six years old. He held himself differently than his companion, whose every move was strong and deliberate. This boy seemed to flow, every step he took was just as strong has the older boy but they seemed more natural. He had much darker hair than the other boy—like Tophs. And the surprising thing was that his eyes glowed like embers in the fire.

The two boys stopped dead at the sight of the prince and princess of the Fire Nation Empire but then Toph stood straight and menacing. The older boy's eye twitched at the sight of his enraged teacher.

"Amo, Yoshi," she bellowed. "You're late!"

"But class has always started at this hour," said the older one.

"Well, Yoshi," she replied. "Today we started an hour ago. Stances!"

The younger boy, Amo, paused. "Sifu Toph, there's light in here."

"Azula, put it out," Toph demanded. The princess didn't respond, she had miraculously remained in her slumber throughout Toph's yelling. "Azula!"

The girl jolted awake, "_What?_" To those who could see she looked ready to kill.

"_Put_ the torch out."

Azula snorted, amused. "No." Zuko rolled his eyes as his sister relaxed herself against the earthen floor once more.

Toph grumbled viciously, tearing at her open kimono until the strip of cloth that held it together at her waist was torn into two long pieces. She handed one to each of her students and demanded that they wrap the cloth over their eyes. Then in the calmest voice Zuko had heard all day she addressed her students:

"Alright boys, stances."

They mirrored the stance that Toph had forced herself to hold for the hour she waited.

Two minutes later, the boys got the sneaking suspicion that that was the only order they were going to receive. Yoshi coughed, speaking up. "Sifu . . . how long are you going to make us stand like this?"

"One hour, boys." Toph walked among them, her arms held tight behind her back.

Yoshi groaned, "My nose itches."

"You better hold that stance, Yoshi," Toph said fiercely.

"Sifu Toph," Amo's clear voice cut through the thick earthy air. Everything about the about the boy originated from sheer wonderment, and when he spoke Toph's intensity seemed to drop. "Why for so long?"

"To teach you a lesson that every master earthbender must learn."

"Please, teach us, Sifu," Amo said eagerly.

Toph grinned briefly before returning to her stony, expressionless familiarity. "Yoshi, what does earth represent?" she began.

"Strength, stubbornness, and stability."

"Air?"

"Wind, change of seasons, and energy."

"Water?"

"Healing, coolness, and life."

"Fire?"

Yoshi faltered. Azula stirred from her half sleep and Zuko listened carefully. Yoshi seemed to yearn to say the worst possible representations of the element of fire. Suddenly, Toph's face is thrust close to oldest student. Despite the blindfolds Yoshi flinched as if he could see her. "_Fire_, Yoshi."

"Warmth, rebirth, and ferocity," he choked out in a clipped voice, looking cross.

"Quite. Now what you must understand about earthbending is this." Toph sat on the ground and she suddenly looked very small—smaller than she ever had before. "Earth, despite all its strength and its persistence can be worn away."

"A weakness?"

"No!" Toph roared. "Earth is _never_ weak, Yoshi."

"I thinks she means that the strength can be taken out of earth," Amo relayed to the other boy.

"Very good, Amo."

Suddenly, Azula plopped herself beside Zuko. She gave him a "this-is-about-to-get-interesting" look. Her brother quickly turned his attention back to Toph's teachings. If Azula was interested in a bending other than her own then this _must _be good.

"What happens to earth when it meets the ocean?"

"Earth is turned to sand," Amo provided.

"Tiny little beads that give way to every footstep," she muttered bitterly. The air around them seemed to thicken with a sense of foreboding and their veins tingled sinisterly at the sound of her cold voice. Zuko and Azula mirrored each other as they watched on with their arms crossed and their expressions stony. Toph was by now, lying supine, her eyes closed and her nails clutching at the ground as if it were trying to drop her into the sky.

"What happens to earth when it meets wind?" she continued.

"It turns to dust. Sifu are you—"

"_Shh_," she hissed harshly. "So earth turns to sand when it meets water, and dust when it meets air. What of fire? What happens to earth then?"

Neither of her students wanted to answer. It was days like this that they were truly terrified of their teacher—they loved her like an older sister, but there was a darkness inside her that they could never be comfortable with.

"Maybe our guests would like to enlighten us," she offered lightly.

"Toph get a grip," Azula said a little anxious.

"Smoke? Ash?" Amo asked, braving his teacher's antics.

Toph shook her head. "Not nearly. I'll give you a hint: think of a volcano."

"It melts?" Yoshi ventured. "But when it cools earth isn't turned to dust or sand it just becomes . . ."

"Twisted, unrecongnizable, strangled," Toph finished. Then she fell silent for the rest of the hour. Azula, after glaring as blatantly as she could at her friend, fell asleep on her brother's shoulder. Yoshi cried silently beneath his blindfold, his toes were fidgeting and for a reason he could not explain, Zuko felt guilty. Amo had his chin jutted out in pure determination just as Toph did.

Zuko was nearly falling asleep himself when Toph slapped the ground hard and sprung to her feet in a lithe powerful motion. She clapped her hands together once and said, "Spar with me Amo."

The boy grinned as he stepped forward still blindfolded. Yoshi flopped to the ground his legs shaking from remaining in his stance for so long. Smiling the two earthbenders began throwing mounds of rocks at one another. For his young age, Amo looked quite talented and he was able to keep up with some of Toph's trickiest maneuvers.

The sound of slamming and grating and cracking rock woke Azula with a start. "Fuck," she muttered. "That girl doesn't ever want me to sleep."

Zuko smiled quicky at his sister. "Maybe you shouldn't be running around the Tunnels all night."

"What, and sleep like normal people?" She pretended to consider it for a little bit. "_Borrrr_ing. So what do you think?" she asked, picking at the dirt in her otherwise perfect nails.

"About the teaching?" Azula nodded. Zuko shrugged, returning his attention to Toph. He had never before that moment seen her earthbend. It was mesmerizing. "I feel like I don't know her."

Azula cackled. "I thought you loved her," she accused.

Zuko shoved her. Then a moment later: "It's my goal not to."

Azula sobered a little. "Where do you think she learned all that?" she asked watching Toph encase her body in rock.

"Badgermoles. You know th—"

"Not the bending, Dumb Dumb," she swatted at him. "The philosophy._ I_ didn't even think of bending like that."

"How am I supposed to know? You're _her_ best friend."

There's a moment of silence where Azula just stares at her brother calculatingly—it was pretty disconcerting. Then she cracked up, her laughter bouncing off the walls. "For life."

Suddenly a section of the wall next to them was pushed forward in the shape of an outstretched arm and a flailing Amo was caught in the arms hand.

O.0.O.0.O

At some point Toph kicked Azula and Zuko out of the dojo. By the time they climbed up the stairs into the open air it was storming and they were quickly soaked.

"Can be trusted in there?"

"You really don't trust anybody do you?" Azula smirked. "She relaly will bury you alive if you question her loyalty to Lu Ten again," she warned, rubbing water from her neck—not that it did much. It was drenched again immediately.

"If she's so loyal, why does she constantly fight with him?"

Azula glares at him. "You know the kind of family we have is a mean one right? Toph and our cousin aren't fairy princesses."

The earthen door opened and Amo and Yoshi stumbled out. In their arms were hastily wrapped strips of firebacon that Toph had stuffed into her sleeves. The two bowed to Zuko and Azula. Yoshi, unlike Amo was reluctant to acknowledge the presence of the prince and princess, and in the absence of the blindfold Zuko could see every angry thought the boy seemed to have in his deep green eyes.

A moment passed and Toph was making her way up the step as well. "I had to put out the torch. Don't forget to share that firebacon with the rest of your families, boys."

"Yes, Master," they said simultaneously.

"And remember what I taught you."

"Yes, Master."

"Alright," she smiled. "Off with you."

The two bowed once more to their teacher before racing down the path that cut through the woods and back to Gaoling. Toph linked her arm with Azula's—the two looked exhausted. "Come on, I need a drink."

Azula agreed. "You can go back now, Zuko."

He glanced at Toph. Her long black hair had fallen long before in the dojo and now it was clinging to her face as the rain continued to fall. "Yeah," he said. "Just let me grab some Saki." It wasn't going to help him to continue spending time with Toph.

But today had been so much different compared to all his other days spent in Gaoling. Normally he never spoke to Toph, and despite his love—or his non-love—for her he was okay with that. Now though, he didn't think he could go back.

No one spoke on their journey back to the city and once they reached one of Toph's favorite bars in the Tunnels, Zuko gulped down his Saki. He was to tired, to cold, and too wet to lollygag and look around so he leaned across the bar and said, "Mom and Dad are leaving for Ba Sing Se tomorrow. I'm pretty sure they'll want you two back for dinner."

"Alright," Azula sighed, sipping at her drink. "We'll be there."

For one last moment Zuko glanced at Toph. Honestly, she looked like shit. Beautiful shit, sure, but _shit_.

_What were they fighting _about_?_ Zuko wondered, before pulling his hood up over his head and walking out of the bar and into the bright labyrinth of the Tunnels. With a half sigh, half growl he turned left in the direction of Bei Fong manor.

He needed to get away from here. Falling out of love with Toph was going to hurt too much in the first place. If they lived in the same house it would be impossible. But his father would never let him leave—a girl wasn't a good enough reason to leave ones family. He exchanged a quick salute with the guards that stood on either side of the Tunnel passage that led the Bei Fong home. As he reached the manor's basement Zuko is struck by an idea. He smiled grimly—it would work perfectly.

The prince needed to find Lu Ten. He started out his search in the Bei Fong library where he instantly spotted his cousin puring himself over a million scrolls and maps that were marked up with notes.

Lu Ten greets him distractedly. "Hey, Zuko."

"Lu Ten, I wanted to ask yo—"

"Have you seen Toph today? I need to talk to her," he interrupted.

Zuko cleared his thoat, scratching the back of his still rain drenched hair. "Uh, yeah. She's with Azula at some bar."

"Not a_gain_," Lu ten brought his hands to his face tiredly.

"Don't worry," Zuko said quickly. "I was just there and she didn't' look like she was in the mood for her usual fun . . . sober or intoxicated."

"Damn it. I think I really messed up today, Zuko."

The younger boy suddenly realized that this was his chance to discover what happened between the couple. He didn't want to admit it but his curiosity had been eating at his insides the whole morning. "How?" he asked, perhaps a little too hopefully.

Lu Ten shrugged, ashamed. "I sort of threatened her, I guess. You know, with living in the Fire Nation . . . Do you know what she told me? She promised that she will kill herself before she became Fire Lady."

Zuko's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "_What_?"

"It scared the living shit out of me," Lu Ten said wide eyed. "Which is why I need to talk to her. Make things right."

"Yeah you should," he said a little reluctantly—_I need to fix that_. "Lu Ten?"

"Hm."

"Can I join you to the Southern Water Tribe?"

.

. .

. . .

. . .

. .

.

A/N: How do you like?

And I was wondering how do you like the point of views I'm taking. Even though I'll be sticking with the third person the point of view will switch a bit amongst my characters just because nearly everyone will be important. Like this chapter was definitely Zuko-centric righ? You could tell right? Lol I get nervous.

Please help me make this story better for YOU! (that was a slogan for "review" advertisement what do you think?)

Oh and long chapter much? Yeahhh!


	7. The Prospect of Travel

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: Lose Yourself by Eminem  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

G r o w i n g U p N o r m a l—C h a p t e r S I X

Ozai strolled into the dining hall of the Bei Fong manor. Everyone, except for his brother who was needed in the capital, was already present. As usual he was the last to arrive—he had a lot of business to attend to: letters needed to be sent, a city needed to be overseen, schemes needed to be planned, and what not. Toph made an unappreciative guttural sound at the back of her throat.

His wife, Ursa, had been apologizing profusely to Lady Bei Fong for her husband's tardiness. To Toph's amusement the woman sounded rather annoyed. The princess by marriage had also been whispering vehemently in her son's ear—it was becoming a rather interesting evening.

He rolled his eyes at Ursa's displeased glance. "_What_, woman?"

Ursa shook her head and made a nasty yet graceful guttural noise in the back of her throat. Much like Toph's. "Nothing, Ozai. I just like eating food that's warm."

"Zuko, heat your mothers plate," he commanded his son. The boy-nearly-man turned almost reluctantly to his mother's plate.

Lady Bei Fong leaned into the table and cleared her throat over the popping and sizzling of Ursa's warming food. "How is the trip coming along?" she addressed Ozai.

"Everything seems to be as it should. Right, Ursa?"

The woman nodded, clattering her chopsticks distractedly against her plate. "I still don't understand why we are needed in Ba Sing Se, Ozai. Please do not keep it a secret from me any longer." Her voice held a command that Ozai could not refuse.

"I will tell everyone after dinner. I'm hungry," he finalized with a mouthful of vegetables. The rest of his family and the Bei Fongs tucked in as well and his eyes snapped to his daughter and Toph, his future niece-in-law. Azula was murmuring just low enough that her words could not be distinguished. Her golden eyes were burning unguardedly and her movements were sloppy. Toph didn't touch her food as she listened to her. She looked utterly unresponsive.

"There is something, though, I think we should discuss, Lao," Ozai said after another couple moments of watching the two girls.

The man visibly tensed, and his daughter's eyes moved as if she were watching them all. "What?"

"A couple hundred Fire Nation citizens will be arriving here at port in about a week to start new lives."

The announcement jammed into her being like an assault. "A _week_?" Toph's voice was soft but it grated against the ears like rock. "Why hasn't this been brought up before?"

Ozai frowned as if he were concerned. "Is there a problem, Lady Toph?"

"Kick the formalities, _Ozai_. Of course there's a problem. Where are these people going to live? You haven't ordered for more homes to be built, more roads to be paved, not even updates to be made on the Tunnels."

"Earthbender's are builders aren't they?" he shot back. "I still don't see the problem."

"We have no earthbenders in Gaoling. Just me." For a moment Toph was frozen. Ozai knew nothing about her dojo, neither did his wife or her parents. Before that day the Fire Lord and his son and Azula were the only ones who knew—who even encouraged it. But now Zuko knew as well . . .

Would he keep his mouth shut?

"I cannot erect over a hundred homes, nor can I construct new roads and new Tunnels, in a week on my own," she continued, her stomach tight for fear of Zuko ruining her life. "You're trying screw me over."

Ozai guffawed, his eyes shimmering with bright fire when she pushed her chair back and stood straight.

"_Toph_," Lady Bei Fong squealed scandalized. "Sit down."

"No, Poppy," Ozai passed at her. "This is a matter that must be resolved, I'm afraid."

"At the dinner table?" Ursa asked wild-eyed.

"I think it's a perfect setting," Azula snorted, reclining back into her chair, her eyes glittering with excitement. She waved a hand at her father and Toph encouragingly. "Go on," she urged.

An unattractive sound made its way out from the back of Toph's throat, making her mother cringe. "Why wait until a week before their arrival, Ozai?"

The eldest prince shrugged, "I figured Gaoling could handle a week."

"You're wrong. My people cannot build over a hundred homes in a week."

"_Your _people?" he repeated threateningly.

She flinched inwardly at her mistake. "Neighbors. My neighbors cannot do this. You want to kick as many families as you can out of their homes to make room for these new colonists. Admit it."

"Toph," Lu Ten breathed, his fingers wrapping around her wrist only to have her yank it from his grip. "Are you accusing the Fire Na—"

She spun on him, "Why does everything have to be about the Fire Nation? I wasn't accusing your precious empire; I was accusing your _Uncle_."

The dinner table was nearly silent—the only sound coming from Toph's heavy breathing. For a moment it seemed all of the problems she and Lu Ten had been having laid onto the dinner table. The hurt permeated in the air and oozed into the venison on the table. She regretted her words—people weren't supposed to know about her fights, much less her feelings. Happy moments she had once spent with Lu Ten were slipping through her fingers like sand and she couldn't help but feel as though it was her fault. She couldn't bend sand—couldn't pull it back into her hands.

She couldn't beat this Empire. Not on her own, not with Amo and Yoshi. But Toph wanted to beat Ozai. She wanted to beat him bloody, until he couldn't stand, until he was gone from her life, forever.

Ozai was glaring viciously at everybody and Ursa was in turn glaring at him. The Fire Lord's brother seemed to be smoking from the ears, but nobody dared to let him know about it. All too suddenly Ozai's anger was extinguished, his heartbeat leveled and his breathing cooled. Toph was both terrified and a little disappointed. She didn't know _what_ she wanted him to do, but it sure as hell wasn't supposed to be this . . . anticlimactic.

"Alright, Miss Bei Fong, if you are so worried I will supply you with earthbenders," he ventured.

Toph nodded, not completely satisfied. "I will need an time extension. If you're planning for Gaoling to be a strong, durable city someday construction such as this must be thought out."

Ozai stared stonily at the girl. He knew she was right—but he had to find his way on top again. "Perhaps, a temporary camp could be built?" he proposed, thinking quickly. "The weather is temperate enough in this region. The colonists need only structure for now."

Toph shrugged, taking her seat again. It was strange for the rest of the table to watch the two strong benders go at each other's throats, and it was even stranger watching them come to a compromise. "Alright, a temporary camp will be built. And I will begin planning their permanent settlements as soon as that is finished."

"Very well," said Ozai, returning to his meal.

Ursa rolled her eyes before turning to Zuko, picking the hushed conversation they were having before her husband had entered the dining room. Steadily their whispers became more and more furious and far too prominent to ignore.

Suddenly, Zuko stood in his authentically-regal-always-angry way and strode out of the dining room.

"What was that?" Azula addressed her father her eyebrows raised.

Ursa turned to her husband, rather pleadingly. "Ozai, please, tell him he doesn't have to."

"Ursa, he is not a child. He's nearly twenty years old. Let him choose his honor his own way."

Seeing that her husband's determination would not waiver, Ursa turned to her nephew. "You're letting him do this? Your cousin."

Lu Ten nodded and the movement did not go unnoticed by Toph. Her eyebrow's furrowed, but only slightly. What was going on? "He has volunteered himself to journey with me to the South Pole," said Lu Ten. "He asked me earlier this afternoon," Lu Ten paused for a moment before continuing. "He's a soldier now, Aunt, as well as my cousin."

With that, Lu Ten too left the room with one final sip of Saki.

Toph was confused. If Zuko went to the Southern Water Tribe . . . as a soldier . . . then he would have to fight. Was he a fighter? She had never thought about it. She could feel anger swirl in her veins, fear sink in her stomach. Years ago, when she was a young girl standing in the middle of Gaoling, Ozai had represented the Fire Nation Empire, and his son had represented the generations that would follow it. He hadn't fought then, no one had, but he would fight in the Southern Water Tribe.

Her hate for the prince grew.

Suddenly Azula's pointy fingers roughly flicked her shaking knee, waking her from her fury. It wasn't until then that Toph realized that Ozai was once again talking to her, as well as Azula. "Sorry," Toph interrupted. "Could you start from the beginning again?"

Ozai raised his eyebrows, angrily. "You weren't listening."

"Nope." She didn't feel like playing anymore games for the night. She felt like skipping straight to beating him bloody. Unfortunately, she didn't think that would happen any time soon.

"Azula will be leaving for Omashu in about a month—"

"And since you've always wanted to go to Omashu, I want you to come with me," Azula finished.

"Why?" Toph asked cautiously, not letting herself get too excited.

Azula rolled her eyes. "Because you're only my best friend for life." The princess's sarcasm made Toph want to let out a bellowing laugh, one she had interestingly enough adopted from Fire Lord Iroh.

But then Ozai started to speak and the moment was ruined forever. Damn buzz kill. "Azula, you do know the real reason you are going to Omashu. Not to show Miss Toph, here the sights." Other than his brief reminder, Ozai didn't go into any further detail.

Suddenly all of Azula's energy seemed to drain out of her. "Yes, Father."

_What a family_, Toph thought rather tiredly.

O.0.O.0.O

Once dinner was over Toph locked her elbow in Azula's and they disappeared quietly into the Tunnels. The princess had remained silent for the rest of dinner and throughout desert. It was not like her—of course she wasn't a talkative girl but she always had some sort of stinging comment to insert into any happy conversation.

"The lights are dim here," Azula said, and Toph stopped. The two girls found a spot on the wall and slid to the floor. They weren't looking for attention. For a long time it was silent until Toph grew bored.

"Why . . . does Ozai want us to go to Omashu?" she was slightly terrified of the answer.

"Toph, I'm eighteen years old," her voice was shaky, not like Azula. "And my father thinks it's about time I get married. He says . . . he says that I'm becoming an embarrassment. There's a man in Omashu waiting for me."

Her voice cracked.

An overwhelming sadness washed over Toph. "You're _engaged_?"

Azula nodded, "As good as, but Little Girl . . . I . . . I think I met someone, here in Gaoling."

Toph gaped, her eyes a little askew but Azula got the point. "A boy?"

"Yeah," she whispered. "Rolin . . . you know the one we always sit next to at his grandfather's pub?"

Azula was going to lose it. She was going to, in a matter of seconds, become a gigantic mass of sobbing mucus goo and she would hate Toph for letting her succumb to that type of, well, disgusting. Toph had to save her. "I hate your brother," she blurted out. They needed a conversation change. Azula seemed to relax against the wall.

"Me too." Suddenly she laughed, only it was without humor. "He told me a long time ago he would never leave me with these crazy people alone. Traitor."

They were silent for a while. Toph tuned into the vibrations of the Tunnels. She loved the business of the Tunnels in the night, it was different from that of the day. At night, people loosened up, they had fun and they played exhilarating games that made them forget about the day they would have to wake up to in the morning. It was a life Toph wanted to, but was kept from being a part of.

Her head fell against the wall. And she listened and listened.

"He's leaving me," Azula said. It seemed that everything was sinking in for her. She curled her knees up to her chest.

Toph took her hand. "I won't." And she knew it. Finally she knew that what she had with Azula was real. The things they felt were real. The care they had for each other was real. Their friendship was real. And it was for life, dammit.

O.0.O.0.O

That night, in her bed Toph lay awake. She couldn't go to sleep—she was too tired to put in the effort. Her mind kept going, words kept racing as if she were hearing them. There was a dull ache deep in her stomach.

It would go away a little bit whenever she thought of Azula—her best friend. But even then she felt sadness for her, Azula was getting messed up. Things were hard for her, the prodigy bender, named after a strong Fire Lord. On a pedestal so high she could only go down. She could only disappoint. Azula couldn't handle disappointment; it just wasn't how she worked. Much like how Toph couldn't handle defeat.

The sudden creaking of the door opening nearly startled Toph to death, but the breathing was soon distinguishable, and the footsteps were more than familiar. Toph kept her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. She silently berated herself for not noticing Lu Ten making his way to her room earlier.

Oh well.

The man climbed onto the bed and lay down over the covers. He was always too warm for the things anyway. "Toph," he whispered, his fingers wrapping around her wrist. "I know you're awake . . . please open your eyes."

Toph snatched her arm away before turning so that her back was facing him. She didn't want to talk to him yet.

He sighed. "Okay, Toph. I just want you to know that I'm sorry. Goodnight." He didn't leave her though, he just lay there until his breathing leveled out and his heartbeat slowed.

Toph turned hesitantly back onto her back. Her fingers flitted around carefully until they found his cheek. Quickly but gently so as not to wake him she kissed the skin there. "Love you."

The next morning the two woke up holding hands.

.

. .

. . .

. .

.

A/N: *dramatic relieving sigh* finally got that one out. It went through a few changes so I'm sorry it took soooooo long! Hope you liked it. Tell me what you think!

Hmmmm why Ba Sing Se for Ozai and Ursa?

OH! And who else is unbelieving stoked for the legend of Korra?


	8. On The Loose?

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: Crown on the ground by Sleigh Bells  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

G r o w i n g U p N o r m a l—C h a p t e r S E V E N

Azula growled in frustration as she ripped the covers away and got out of bed. She had been waking up on and off the whole night. The sun hadn't risen yet but from the chirpings of the wormravens outside her window she knew it was nearing morning. She thought about Zuko practically the whole night, and when she didn't she thought of Rolin.

And that wasn't a safe topic at all.

So she stuck with thinking about Zuko as much as she could. It just got painful after awhile and kept her from falling into a peaceful bit of sleep that helped her forget. Azula wrapped herself in one of the many luxurious robes that were placed in her large wardrobe, and left her room. Zuko's was right next to hers and she had planned to just barge in and yell at him about how he was a liar and how he broke his promise. But his door became more than just a physical barrier but an emotional one as well.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she placed her temple against the thick wood. When they were little kids Azula and Zuko would torment each other with threats that really shouldn't have been uttered. It worried their mother to no end, and some times it worried them as well. But for the most part it was just fun and games, a way to escape the boredom that lurked in the Fire Nation palace shadows. The threats stopped when they started visiting colonies because the people they met were interesting and they never found themselves bored.

They got closer. Instead of his weaknesses she started to see his strengths, and instead of her strengths he started to see her weaknesses. Slowly, but surely they had realized that they needed each other.

_He's going to the South Pole_, she thought with wide eyes. She felt numb and empty. _He's going to die, and he's never going to come back._

Perhaps a little too quietly, and far too hesitantly for her to admit, Azula rapped the door with her knuckles. She just listened for a moment at how the _thump_ sounds seemed to echo throughout the entire mansion. It was kind of beautiful in a lonely kind of way. When the door didn't open she knocked again, a little harder this time. She pressed her ear against the door more tightly and with a sigh of relief she heard footsteps.

Her brother opened the door and she shoved herself in with a sudden burst of energy. Azula jumped on Zuko's bed and shifted around until she made a nice little nest with the covers and his pillows.

"Uhh . . ." Zuko trailed off. Azula patted the spot next to her. Zuko noted that she left neither pillow nor blanket to his name but he joined her anyways. "So . . . what's up?" he asked facing her, rubbing sleep from his eyes. She was kind of staring at him, and it was pretty disconcerting, honestly.

Azula shrugged. "So when did you decide to become suicidal?"

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"After you left dinner, Lu Ten told us about how you volunteered to go to the South Pole," she clarified. She tucked her hands underneath her head to prop her up.

Zuko scowled. "You're judging me."

"Maybe."

"Well could you not? I got enough from Mom."

Azula sneered, "Oh boo hoo."

Zuko's nostrils flared and for a moment Azula didn't feel so bad anymore. She liked making him angry, liked getting him all worked up. Usually he was just this cool, aristocratic, princely blob that really did nothing other than waste space. BORING? Yes.

The initial joy she got from infuriating him simmered down. The muscles that held her grin up began to shake and wobble until she frowned. Her brows furrowed and she watched him glare at her. Eventually, due to confusion, Zuko relaxed. His whole face smoothed out and he looked . . . like her brother. He didn't look nineteen years old; he didn't look like a prince. To Azula he just looked like a worthless _boy_.

But to her, he _mattered_.

Yeah, she hated him—a lot—but he was her brother. Her home skillet. Her Zuzu. Yeah, they ragged on each other every chance they got but they had each other's backs.

So maybe, she kind of loved him. And maybe she'd kind of miss him, and it's possible that she'll kind of worry for his life.

She curled her fingers into a fist and brought it up to his face. He flinched, which was a smart though completely unnecessary reaction, at the sight of her fist. With a few airy sound effects she calmly pressed her knuckles against his chin as if she were punching him, then his jaw, then finally his forehead. Azula kept her hand there where his heat mingled with hers. She realized suddenly that it had been a long time since they'd bent fire together.

"Why don't we bend anymore?" she asked him, for once letting her words follow her thought process.

Zuko shrugged. She couldn't really see his face because her fist was still on his forehead but she could feel his breath on her arm. "Because you're better than me." It curled around her skin like smoke, and she choked on it as well.

"It's just a different co—"

"You're better," he interrupted, but she could hear laughter on his voice. He moved her fist away, surprisingly gently. He was smiling a little. It looked more happy than sad. "And I'm sorry, Azula."

She stayed quiet. They were thinking the same thing. He knew she was upset, he knew she was feeling abandoned.

"I'm breaking our promise," he continued a little awkwardly. Now, he put his own fist on her forehead—all she could see was his wrist. The skin was rough from all the firebending.

Azula shrugged. "Yes, yes you are but," she began. She didn't feel angry anymore—of course she had no idea where it had all gone but gone it was. It was a strange feeling, to be so forgiving. "I guess it's not that big of a deal. I was only fourteen after all. Maybe I _don't need you_ as much as I thought I would."

Zuko scoffed. "I'm hurt."

Azula pushed his fist away, a gleam in her eyes. "Wounded even?"

The two laughed for a moment. Their eyes crinkled in the rights spots and they ran out of breath in even the righter spots. Everything felt normal, everything felt natural. _Why can't we be like this all the time? _Zuko asked himself.

"I might need you though," he argued still laughing a little. "You always make me feel like I need to be better. You motivate me, I guess."

"Yeah, you definitely need me," she joked. At the same time though, she understood, so in another one of her brief moments of affection she gave his hand a squeeze. "Can I pick your brain for a minute though?"

"Why are you asking permission?"

Azula grinned. "I feel like being polite today." Then a whole heap more seriously she looked him in the eye and asked him, "Why, are you going to the South Pole?"

He answered surprisingly quickly. "I thought it would help, you know, get my mind off of . . . _her_."

"Her," she repeated, gob smacked.

"Yeah, Toph. If I stay here, I won't ever get over her."

She stared at him, her jaw hanging slack. "Let me get this straight," she started forcefully. "You're giving up this comfy lifestyle for a frozen bloody battle ground, not to mention you're breaking our four year promise, because of a _girl_?"

"Um. Yes."

"There may be hope for you yet," Azula said after a tense moment of silence.

"Dad would never say that."

"Nope. Mom would I think," Azula said. "Hey, while we're on the subject of dad and since we're being honest here, I thought I would tell you that I'm engaged."

Zuko's eyes widened, "_What_?"

"Sorry, I'm not engaged _yet_ but Dad is sending me to Omashu to meet my future fiancé."

It was evident that her brother was more than speechless. He looked angry again, and far more concerned. She might start crying again if he holds that face any longer. "Do you know who he is?"

Trying to come off as blasé as she could, Azula shrugged. "He's a close relative of Ty Lee's, I think. Shen Wai. It'll be fine."

Zuko paused, "So . . . you're okay with all this?"

_NO. No, no, I'm not okay with this. I'm scared and sad and I'm kind of freaking out. But you can't know about Rolin, I can't tell you because I already told Toph and it almost killed me. _

She smiled, "Yeah. For the Empire, you know?"

"Well, maybe you'll love him," he offered optimistically.

"Yeah." She searched his eyes. Zuko always seemed like one of those strong people to her. He was bendable, flexible. He was born to live in this world, it was his. Happiness was something he could choose to have and he probably would get it. She on the other hand was so very different. She wasn't bendable at all, and if the world bent her any more she was sure she would snap. "Maybe."

The sounds of movement began to reach their ears as the house began to awaken. The two sat up, expecting to be disturbed at any moment.

And disturbed they were by none other than Toph. She was good at sudden appearances. Azula glanced at her brother, who was actually gazing quite calmly at the girl he'd been in love with for nearly six years. Impressive, really.

"Do _you _know why your parents are going to Ba Sing Se?" she asked bluntly. "I've already asked Lu Ten but he told me to ask you." She smiled slightly when she said Lu Ten's name, other than that she was all business. She got it from her father.

"So you made up with our cousin, did you?" Zuko said with a sneer. Azula raised her eyebrow.

"There wasn't anything to make up, Princess Zuzu," Toph denied briskly. "Now will _somebody_ answer my question?"

Zuko bristled at the nickname uncomfortably. He glanced at Azula, unsure if he should let the two in on the secret. A secret he wasn't even supposed to be aware of, in fact. "I might have heard some guards talking last night . . ."

In a rare display of interest Toph inclined her head in Zuko's direction. She liked to ignore him as much as possible. She liked _not _to hear his voice or to have to speak with him. And yet at that moment she was even leaning over his bed posts until she was in a disturbingly close proximity to the prince, as if what he said next could be lost in the air between them forever before they could even reach her ears. She liked _not_ to be kept waiting. "Oh?"

"Oh?" Azula repeated—she too was equally interested if not more.

Zuko sighed, seeing no (safe) way out of sating their appetites for information. He dropped his voice down to a whisper. "Well remember when they moved the Avatar to a high security prison in Ba Sing Se about three years ago? Apparently," he glanced at his open door, not wanting to go on.

Toph seemed to realize this because in the next moment, the sound of her feet sliding on the stone reached their ears and the earth under the door closed it softly. Zuko had watched her leg move, how it moved her silk kimono delicately. He remembered watching her bend in her dojo and how strong her stance was.

Her face was too close. Her eyes were too close.

"Apparently?" she prompted.

Zuko resisted the urge to gulp—and especially the urge to kiss her. "The Avatar's escaped."

Toph breathed in quickly before moving back towards the door. "That's all?" she seemed suddenly uninterested.

"It's just talk. I don't really know if it's true," he dismissed. "Toph," he said as her hand pulled on the door knob.

"Yeah?" she asked distractedly.

"You can't tell anyone, this."

"Gotchya." she turned arm raised casually as she left the room. "I gotta go build a _temporary camp_ now. Bye."

Azula turned to her brother. "She's excited."

"About building a camp? If you say so . . ."

"No, Dumb Dumb," Azula rolled her eyes. Honestly. "About the Avatar."

"Really? She seemed bored."

"Zuko, she's an Earth Kingdom noble trapped under a rule she really doesn't care for. This is possibly the best news she's heard in some time." Her brother gave her a suspicious look. "I'm with you, Zuko," she defended, hands raised. "If the Avatar really is missing, and if he really comes back then we're looking at lives on the streets. And that _better_ not happen. I'm just reminding you that Toph is a whole different kind of person than the fairy you have built up in your head."

Zuko snorted. "I don't think _anyone_ could picture Toph as a _fairy_."

"And they shouldn't," she whispered conspiratorially. She reminded Zuko of when she used to threaten him with slow slow _slow_ deaths. "She's pure _evil_."

.

. .

. . .

. .

.

AN/: So I'll be editing the first chapter of this story. Just a little so you don't have to read it again. I've done some plot analyzing and I've decided that instead of Toph being sixteen in the preface, she'll be twenty. That means Zuko's about twenty-fourish?

And yes the Avatar has escaped! Who sees some plot-a-formulatin'?

Tell me what you thought about the Zuko/Azula hear-to-heart in a review :P


	9. Filled With Promises

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: Rococo by Arcade Fire  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

G r o w i n g U p N o r m a l—C h a p t e r E I G H T

"Hashi, I'm going to need a blank scroll and an ink tablet," Toph said, back in her room. The woman nodded and quietly exited the room.

"What do you need all that for?" Lu Ten asked from behind her. She was currently sitting on her vanity stool, while Lu Ten pulled a brush through her hair. She leaned her head into the brush feeling oddly relaxed.

"I'm going to have Amo and Yoshi design the temporary camp for the Fire Nation immigrants."

"But they're kids," he said incredulous.

Toph rolled her eyes. "They're_ mine _though. Brilliance runs in their veins," she brought her arms up mystically as she spoke proudly of her students. As if she was calling on some higher being. Lu Ten smiled. "Besides, I have to approve it."

Lu Ten leaned forward, his lips brushing against her ear. "That," he whispered. "Doesn't make me any less nervous."

She scowled affectionately, an evil glint in her eyes. "Did I say it should?"

Lu Ten laughed, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I love you," he said breathing in deeply where her hair began. It was so dark, so beautiful, so soft. Toph smiled, leaning into his touch.

She was always happiest when things were going well in her relationship with Lu Ten. Sometimes he made her forget how much she hated the Fire Nation. She forgot how her blood curdled when she smelled smoke in her city. She wished she could just forget for the rest of her life. She wished she was born a Fire Nation noble just so she wouldn't have to be so angry all the time.

If she were Fire Nation she wouldn't have to worry about her parents, she wouldn't have to worry about Amo and Yoshi or their families. She would have no worry in the _world_ because she'd be engaged to the _prince _of the Fire Nation _Empire_. As a Fire Nation noble she would have no qualms about becoming the next Fire Lady.

Ignorance truly was bliss.

But now—even if she wanted to—it was too late for ignorance. It was too late to pretend she loved the part of the Fire Nation that came with Lu Ten because the Avatar was out of their clutches. Toph had come so close to being defeated, deflated, and destroyed like fire to earth; now she could feel the vines and weeds of hope gnarl and twist inside her stomach. She had to keep fighting.

She had to keep going until she could finally beat the Fire Nation bloody.

With an impatient sigh, Toph wondered when that would be. Where _she _would be. Would she be married by then? Would she be living in the Fire Nation capitol? Would she have children?

She placed a flat hand on her stomach. Of course she wasn't pregnant _yet_ but she will be soon and her children will grow up Fire Nation nobles—royals. They'll be happy children, they'll grow up loving the Fire Nation and its vast empire. They will travel like their father. They will be fine but again . . .

Where will she be? Everything's changed now that the Avatar has escaped.

"Can you put my hair in a bun?" she asked. She needed to get going.

Lu Ten laughed. "And _that_ is where my skills as a hairdresser end."

Toph pouted. "Fine. I'll do it myself then."

"So, did my cousins know why their parents are going to Ba Sing Se?" he asked conversationally as she pulled her hair into a large bun, high at the top of her head.

Toph played with the idea of telling him the truth. She honestly didn't give a harerat's tail about the "not letting anyone know about this" bull Zuko was shooting earlier. So what if she told Lu Ten, he was the _prince_! He should know anyway. Then again . . . Lu Ten knew her from the inside out. If she told him about the Avatar's new found freedom he would know that she was excited. They would fight again and she would be unhappy again.

And quite frankly, Toph needed some freakin' excited happiness.

So, after pinning her bun securely to her head and with an impatient wave of her hand, Toph _mostly _lied. "Zuko said something about a containment issue, blah, blah, blah. Politics, blah. Boring. I shouldn't have asked cuz he just kept droning on and on and on about some custody case of some former kings pet bear."

"A bear?"

"Yeah . . ." Toph replied.

"You mean, platypusbear?"

"No, just bear," Toph said confidently.

"Skunkbear?"

Toph laughed, shaking her head but Lu Ten kept going.

"Armadillobear? Goferbear?"

"You're ridiculous."

Her fiancé raised his hands in surrender. "No, a 'just' bear is ridiculous."

Toph stood up suddenly and it caught Lu Ten by surprise. With her earthbending she knew _exactly _how close she would be, but of course he didn't. She tilted her head up and he was quickly captivated by her white green eyes. "You're ridiculous," she repeated, wrapping her arms around his torso, her fingers splaying between his shoulder blades. Lu Ten bent until his forehead was pushing against hers. Their noses touched.

He closed his eyes to share the darkness with her.

"When are you going to marry me already?" she asked impatiently, yearningly.

"We've only been engaged for a few months," he soothed. Truthfully though, he felt the same way.

"I don't care," Toph whispered. "I love you."

He grinned. "I don't care either. Maybe, after the Southern Water Tribe . . . we'll have the ceremony then."

She pulled him closer, placing her cheek on his heartbeat. "Then you're gonna have to come back for me."

"I will," he assured her. "And in return, I expect _you_ to still be here waiting for _me_."

"I will," she murmured.

She kissed his chest through his casual-though-completely-unnecessarily-elaborate-Fire-Nation-princely-armor. And then he captured her lips in his. He honestly loved her and he honestly wanted to marry her—to spend the rest of his life with _her. _She could feel it through his lips, through his searing skin. Her stomach was rumbling, not from hunger but from tumult. Her eyes rolled back inside her head and his fingers gripped at her waist. The edge of the vanity table was jamming into her back but she didn't care because he was so close and so real and so, so very hers.

She moved her hands to his shoulders, his neck, his hair, his stomach. His tongue was gliding against her mouth, she breathed him in, encouraging him. She pushed against him wanting to feel every part of him. Her fiancé—her husband. Toph was starting to lose the ability to think as more and more sensations bombarded her brain as things began to proceed much quicker than they had ever before. He was slipping his hand underneath her kimono, the rough skin of his fingers scalding against her bare back. She moaned against him her breathing ragged and uneven.

There was a knock at the door, and then another but it wasn't until the third—or maybe it was the fourth knock that the two pulled away. Lu Ten ducked down and pecked her collarbone, and then her lips again.

Distracted, Toph spoke. "That's probably Hashi with the scrolls I asked for . . ."

He kissed her again. "Yeah, probably." Which pretty much translated to: Does it look like I care about some stupid scrolls you asked for? Hashi knocked again, a lot harder and more persistently than before.

Toph tugged on Lu Tens chest plate for another long searing kiss before she shoved him away with an evil grin. With a frustrated growl Lu Ten massaged his face and fell backwards onto her bed.

Mwahahaha

"Come in," she called.

Hashi was smirking the whole time she handed the scrolls and ink tablets to Lady Bei Fong. "Miss, I believe you're a little distracted this morning, I knocked quite a few times."

Walking out of the room she replied, "I have no idea what you're talking about, Hashi." And then over her shoulder to Lu Ten, "I'll be back later, okay?"

Lu Ten grumbled something incoherently.

When Hashi shut the door behind them she whispered, "What did he say?"

Toph shrugged, unconcerned. "Probably threats."

O.0.O.0.O

Making her way up and out of the Tunnels, Toph began her search for Amo and Yoshi. She stopped and stomped her heel into the ground trying to find her students. It was getting harder, what with the city of Gaoling becoming larger but she was still Toph, the Blind Bandit. She would find them.

After a few more stomps into the earth she discovered that they were already on their way to the dojo. She made her way through the busy streets, darting out of peoples way swiftly. A few "hello"s and "good morning, Lady Toph"s reached her ears and she nodded in the general direction. Occasionally though a brave soul would shout "traitor!" she tucked her head into her chin. She even heard one Fire Nation colonist whisper furiously to a friend that "she's only marrying him to secure her family".

Toph laughed at just how idiotic that one sounded but it cut her deep. She just didn't want to admit it. She clutched at her scrolls tighter. It was so uncomfortably close to the truth.

Her students were already inside the dojo when she bent the door open. "Boys, we're going to be outside for today's lesson."

"Why?" Yoshi asked, coming out of the dojo. "Master," he added quickly at Toph's raised eyebrow.

"Because I've got a job for you two, and I think you'd appreciate some light to work with."

"What is it, Sifu Toph?" Amo asked excitedly, jumping up and down, eyes wide.

Toph bit at the inside of her cheek. Yoshi was not going to take this news well—she didn't either though, so . . .

"By the end of this week, a couple hundred Fire Nation citizens will be immigrating to Gaoling," she said smoothly.

Yoshi narrowed his eyes, "Where are they going to live?"

Toph snatched up the question, glad that it led straight to the task she had brought for her students instead of a massive Yoshi blow up session. "In the temporary camp that you two will design. Ozai is granting me a team of Earthbender's to help build their permanent homes."

Toph fell back, supine on the grassy earth. "Find a spot with enough light and start drafting the camp in the dirt first so that I can approve it. Make it as Earth Kingdom as possible. These immigrants are leaving the Fire Nation Capitol, not coming to more of it. Make it beautiful and strong."

After a few minutes of her students poking the ground with their fingers Amo spoke. "Sifu, why did Ozai wait until we only have a week before they come to Gaoling?"

"Yeah!" Yoshi exclaimed. "I mean if we weren't building this camp where would they be living?"

Cursing Amo's sharp mind, Toph pursed her lips, giving her silence weight—as if she had answered long ago. "You know very well where they would be living." Yoshi took in air to protest but Toph continued, cutting him off. "But they won't, so long as you build this temporary camp."

"Where's it going to be, Sifu?" Amo asked.

Toph shrugged. "Wherever I want." She hadn't given it any thought actually.

Amo and Yoshi shared a look. If there was one thing they had learned in the past months of being The Blind Bandit's students it was that she wasn't much of a talker. A lot of times she was content with just half-listening to their conversation, with the occasional joke or two.

"Go on," Yoshi whispered eagerly to Amo. "Ask her."

"What? No!" Amo protested, wide eyed. "She'll never take us, there's no point."

"Just tell her it'll be a learning experience—for _us_. Like, we haven't seen her in action yet," Yoshi punched wildly at the air to emphasize his point. "So she'll have to take us. Come on, I thinks she's in a good mood today."

Amo rolled his eyes. "How can _you_ tell?"

"I just can. Now ask her."

"Why me?" Amo challenged.

"Because she likes you best. Quit stalling," he grumbled, poking their draft of the camp with a stick.

Amo sighed, exasperatedly. "Sifu Toph?"

Toph who had heard the _entire _exchanged, smirked. "Hm."

"I was wondering . . . well _we_," Yoshi elbowed him the stomach for binging him into it. "Ow! Were wondering when you were going to take us to see the Earth Rumble fights?" he asked hopefully.

Toph shrugged, keeping her mirth at bay. "Didn't know you boys were interested in that sort of thing . . ."

"Weren't interested!" Yoshi repeated, scandalized. "Of course we're interested! Why else would we want you to teach us? We know you're the Blind Bandit."

Toph raised her eyebrow. "You think that just because I'm blind I'm the Blind Bandit? She wears a blindfold anyway—she probably has perfectly functioning eyes," she challenged.

Yoshi rolled his eyes. "Sifu, the Blind Bandit didn't always where a blindfold. She only started doing that two years ago."

Amo stood up and walked over to his teacher. "Something about not wanting people to know her true identity." He poked her forehead. "Lady Toph Bei Fong, engaged to the Fire Nation heir."

Toph made a face. "Alright, alright. I'll take you guys, just quit talking like that. You sound like idiots." Her two earthbending students started whooping and hollering so much that Toph couldn't keep the smile from her face. Then as an afterthought, "Oh and Yoshi, you're right—I do like Amo best."

She loved them. She had only been teaching them for few months but she could already feel them marking her spirit. The boys were going to make themselves into one of her phantoms.

Eventually they went back to work on their model in the dirt and they would ask Toph questions from time to time. She'd give her opinion patiently and "watch" their lines in ground, feeling a sense of pride well up, starting in her stomach and then flowering to her heart.

_The Avatar's escaped_.

Zuko's words kept jumping around in her head. It made everything feel different, desperate. He would be her ticket out of the Fire Nation Empire, he would be Amo's ticket—Yoshi's. The Avatar _is_ _everyone's _ticket.

_I need to find him_, she thought. _Someday I'm gonna find him before it's too late. _

.

. .

. . .

. .

.

A/N: Okay First, the scene with Toph and Lu Ten was to establish some happy good feelings between them. Did ya'll like the bear conversation? I did. :)

Second, Yoshi is definitely the tougher of Toph's students. He's like Sokka, only earth Kingdom, and he's actually a whole lot angrier. We'll see that later.

Thrid, Zuko's and Toph's relationship will be shifting starting . . . NOW. Instead of seeing him as the epitome of the Fire Nation she's gonna start seeing him as . . . hope? Rebirth? Redemption? That kind of thing.

Fourth, I'm gonna try and roll out the next couple chapters as much as I can before school starts because I'l be stressed. once. again. I'm not looking forward to it.

Fifth, hopefully y'all will be pleased with the next chapter. It's a DOOZY.

Tell me what you thought in a review :)


	10. Growing Up Fierce

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: Neighborhood #3 by Arcade Fire  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

G r o w i n g U p N o r m a l—C h a p t e r N I N E

_A month prior—_

The snow was starting to melt into slush now that the Southern Water Tribe was facing her second month of "summer". Of course even that caused _little _change. The sun made the snowy terrain appear to be consisted of crystals and diamonds and sapphires and rubies. It was a gorgeous view.

Sadly it was lost on the young woman hurtling through the loose snow. Not that she didn't like it—she loved it. It was her home, a part of her element. The snow and the water and the cold were who she was and who she would always be. There were just more pressing matters to attend to. The cold was nipping at her cheeks, and her hair was flowing wildly behind her because in her haste she had forgotten to pull up her hood. Her boots were soaked and each step felt heavier and heavier than the last.

She had to get to the ocean. Most of the village was probably there already, waiting for their chief to come home. The thought drove her forward. _I should not have slept so late_, she scolded herself. And of course Pakku wouldn't wake her just because he knew it would annoy her.

Senile old man.

Finally the Southern Water Tribe villagers came into view, the ships hadn't docked yet but she could see them approaching. She slowed her pace, pushing her hair away from her eyes. The girl searched the crowd for a familiar face—they were all familiar really . . . she was just looking for her grandfather.

"Pakku!" she shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth. She found him.

The white haired old man turned slightly, his movements constricted by the crowd. "Ah. Katara you're awake."

"Stuff it," Katara growled. "You do realize how important this is for me, right, Pakku?"

"But do you realize," he shot back, "that to you I'm _not_ Pakku, but you're grandfather?"

Katara waved him off, her blue eyes scanning the approaching ships. "Have you seen them yet?"

Her grandfather shook his head glumly.

She quickly counted the number of ships. Twelve—the same number that had left two years ago. A hand gripped her elbow and Katara looked over at her good friend, Laika, a blank almost irritated look on her face. At the sight of her friend though, Katara relaxed.

"Hey," Laika said, softly. "I was looking for you everywhere, I was worried." They were all worried. The twelve Southern Water Tribe ships had left for a peaceful mission to the Northern Water Tribe. Unfortunately, the peaceful mission required smuggling which of course would not go well with the Fire Nation got involved.

Pakku leaned forward, his head inclined towards Laika but his eyes trained on the ships. "The twelve ships are accounted for, Laika."

The young woman rolled her eyes. "I can count, Sifu."

"I beg to differ."

Laika scowled. "That was _one _time!"

"Seriously?" Katara intervened. "Help me find my dad and Sokka."

The teacher and student sent a daring glance at each other before once again searching the ships. Eventually, they were close enough that they had to anchor in order to avoid the shallower waters. People began boarding smaller boats that were lowered into the ocean—no one used paddles.

"The mission was successful," Pakku said relieved, referring to the waterbending. "And look," he said pointing, "there's your father . . ."

"And Sokka!" Laika exclaimed, pointing as well but Katara was already sprinting through the crowds of people towards the ocean. Her family.

She was grinning, perhaps the first sincere smile in quite some time. "Dad! Sokka!" The snowy ground was getting smaller and the dark ocean was getting larger as she bolted closer. Just a couple steps now and she would be flying off the shore. With a fluid downward stroke of her hands the snow under her feet formed together into tightly compacted solid ice. Katara manipulated and rode the waves until they brought her to her father and brother.

Chief Hakoda mirrored his daughters smile, his eyes crinkled kindly. Katara slammed into him, nearly toppling the boat making him laugh. She buried her face into his neck, happy to finally have him back. "I missed you, Dad."

"And I you, Katara." He kissed her hair.

A finger poked at her back. Katara released her hold on her father and turned to her brother. She froze, a sense of foreboding crashing into her with the wrath of the untamed ocean. When he had left, they weren't on the best of terms. She stared into his eyes, searching for forgiveness. "Hi," she said.

"Hey." His jaw was set uncomfortably, and his eyes were hard.

Katara bit her lip and reached out to tug on his newfound beard. "You look different, Sokka."

Her brother's expression softened and he caught her in a bear hug. "You're bending looks really good." Hot tears began to prickle at her eyes. Her bending had been the foundation of their strained relationship. She had been a fool before he left—brandishing her skills as if they made her the saving grace of the Water Tribe.

"Thank you," she said. "Pakku is a decent teacher," she giggled. As he laughed she could feel his chest hum and vibrate warmly. She missed him too.

Their little boat bumped against the frozen shore and they clambered out. Chief Hakoda and his children waited until all the boats were unloaded and set safely out of the water. The Southern Water Tribe warriors had travelled to their sister tribe for some much needed waterbenders. In exchange some of the Southern warriors remained in the North to help strengthen their forces.

Eventually, Pakku, as well as a rather sheepish Laika moved forward to stand with the family.

"People!" Chief Hakoda shouted, addressing his people. Everyone watched him intently, their eyes burning as their leader spoke. "It was a long journey to our sister tribe and as successful as it was times have changed once again. Upon returning home," he stopped suddenly, his gaze drifting to his son. He placed a strong hand on Sokka's shoulder, turning his address over to him.

Sokka breathed deeply, a fierce excitement whirling in his eyes before stepping forward. "The Fire Nation Empire has suffered a devastating loss," he smirked. "The Avatar's escaped."

The village for a moment stood still, staring blankly at the Chief's son. It was unbelievable—to think that they could win. But here it was, the news they had been waiting for, hoping for their entire lives. The Avatar was _free_. He's going to save us.

The Warriors began clanging their weapons together. Sword on sword, club on club, dagger on dagger, boomerang on boomerang, shield on shield. And the people were jumping and dancing and singing. It was the start of a celebration that would last throughout the night and into the next morning. It was a beautiful thing, Katara decided as she watched her people, to see them so alive again.

Suddenly Sokka gripped her elbow. "Come on. We've got to have a meeting."

Katara looked disbelieving. "In the middle of a party?"

Sokka looked at her intently. "It's important. Laika, you should come too."

The two girls looked a little put out but they followed Sokka anyway. Sokka led them to one of the Southern Water Tribes more recently constructed building. It was the Village Building and it was entirely constructed of snow and ice. Master Pakku had led Katara and other waterbenders in building it. Immediately inside was a long rectangular table that sat horizontal to the door. A map of the world hung on one of the walls, a few people were staring at it. They were three women, dressed in green who wore heavy traditional looking make up.

"Who are they?" Laika asked.

"These," Sokka said loudly, catching the women's attention. "Are Kyoshi Warriors."

They smiled but the intensity in their eyes never wavered. Katara reached out her hand. "I'm Katara," she introduced herself.

One of the Warriors, a girl with short auburn hair—their hair was the only thing that distinguished the girls— shook her hand. "I'm Suki. It's nice to meet you. This," she gestured to the warrior with long light brown hair, "is Jule, and this," she gestured to the girl with shorter black hair, "is Khai. And you two are waterbenders?"

Katara nodded. "Yes. This is Laika, by the—"

"I think," Hakoda interrupted from the door. "That we should just skip introductions and just get straight to business. Everything is about timing now I'm afraid."

Chief Hakoda took his seat at the head of the table, Sokka sat to his right, and then Master Pakku sat to his left. The Kyoshi warriors sat across from Katara and Laika. A few other Water Tribe warriors, as well and waterbenders rushed into the village building and took their seats as well.

"I think everyone's here," Sokka prompted.

"Great," Hakoda said, exhaling. "Let's get started. Now that the Avatar is no longer being held prisoner by the Fire Nation he needs protection. This meeting's purpose is to fulfill that need."

"How did he escape?" Laika asked, curiously.

"It's still a mystery," Hakoda replied. "It is believed that he is still somewhere in Ba Sing Se, hiding. And we need to get him out of there; since the Fire Nation attacked it's been crawling with soldiers."

"And the bounty hunters," Sokka added, folding his arms on the table. "The Fire Nation will have a heavy reward."

There was a heady silence. Katara looked around the table, noticing just how tired the returned warriors looked. They should be sleeping, safe and sound in their homes with their wives and their families. Not here in a war meeting. The waterbender sighed, she didn't have the time nor the strength anymore to get caught up in all the sentimentality. She needed to be fierce—like her mother told her before she left for the North Pole.

"So," Katara cleared her throat, leaning forward against the table. She locked eyes with her fathers. "How are we going to get the Avatar out of Ba Sing Se?"

Suki, Jule, and Khai smiled. And thus the plan was unleashed and Katara discovered just how important she was about to become.

A/N: Short, I know. *shrug* ehh, I think it works for this chapter. A snippet of a different life and yet a life that is still filled with suffering caused by the Fire Nation.

Katara's mother is alive, I've decided. Right now she is safe in the Northern Water Tribe, she's not a big character yet, but she of course is a source of inspiration and drive for Katara so in her own way, Kya is important!

Next chapter will be back in Gaoling. I think y'all shall be happy with it :)


	11. Friend

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: Go Do by Jonsi  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

G r o w i n g U p N o r m a l—C h a p t e r T E N

_two weeks until Lu Ten's fleet's departure—_

Lao Bei Fong was sitting in bed, his expression vacant. Since the Fire Nation's arrival in Gaoling he appeared to lose the ability to think. To some he looked like a vegetable. It was a sad thing, because he actually thought a lot. Granted his thoughts were centered on only two things—his wife and his daughter—but what else could he think about?

Poppy and Toph were all he had left. Whatever prestigious business his family had labored to build up didn't matter anymore.

He looked to his left. Poppy was sound asleep—peaceful and calm. He smiled; the time for tears had passed many years ago.

He remembered the first time he had met Poppy. He loved her from the first. She was perfect—strong-willed, beautiful, intelligent, captivating. She was a simple girl and he had been a simple boy. It was easy falling in love back then. It was easy to get married, to settle down, and to have children. It was easy to be happy.

So many things had changed.

Sometimes, he regretted his daughter. Who would curse their children into such a world? A corrupted and evil and twisted world, filled with no kindness whatsoever. But then he remembered who his daughter truly was. She was a Bei Fong, and above all she was Toph. He could never regret her.

Lao placed a kiss on his wife's cheek, stirring her gently from her dreams. Poppy always dreamt such vivid images. When she opened her eyes she saw her husband leaning over her, smiling. Her hand stroked his face.

"Good morning," she sighed only a little bit sadly.

They already knew what the other was thinking, and what the other used to think in Time's younger years. Nothing had to be said at this point, nothing needed to be repeated.

Lao kissed Poppy softly. He took her hand in his, his thumb stroking her skin. "Let's get ready for breakfast."

O.0.O.0.O

In the last couple years Toph had come to loathe lunch. Especially lunch at the Bei Fong manor. She remembered lunch when she was a little girl and how sometimes her father would make Hashi feed her the complex foods. Most of the time the coddling didn't even bother her because the food was just so good. She used to love it all—the fruits, the light meats, the breads, the tea.

Now, a time of the day that she counted on being generally happy had disappeared, replaced by a time of the day that she counted on being generally stressful. It messed with her eating habits. She hated eating around people—if she had to she would but . . . Having the Empire's royal family living in her home, on and off for five years had shaken her up and everything was out of place, missing. She wasn't the same Toph she used to be.

Whatever, she sighed. She was used to it by now.

She woke up too late for breakfast, too early for lunch. Toph would just skip off to the kitchens and eat there, alone, without any judgment at all. The only time she had to eat formally was dinner and at that point she was too stressed to be bothered with food so she got by with just a couple bites. No one noticed, no one cared. No one ever saw her get up in the middle of the night and leave the manor and live her favorite life in Gaoling. Her secret life—The Blind Bandits life.

It was _glorious_.

Deep in her soul Toph knew that the Blind Bandit was who she was supposed to be. Not this pretty princess with etiquette and formalities. Ew.

Her hand scourged the depths of her hidden trunk. She always kept it hidden under her bed and tonight it was time to crack it open. She stuffed the fabrics into a bag hastily. She had to leave the manor quick if she wanted to escape dinner. Pulling the straps taught she threw the bag over her shoulder, blowing her fringe out of her face. Her nose tickled.

Breezing through the halls as quietly as she could Toph analyzed the vibrations that pounded beneath her feet. The stone ring Lu Ten gave her drummed with her heart. She always got a rush from sneaking out.

Toph grinned, catlike, as she trampled down the stairs that led to the Tunnels. She would feel so much better once she got out there. She undid the latch on the metal frame and slid the door open smoothly, freeing herself from the Bei Fong manor.

She walked for a bit in the Tunnels before she started to feel a pair of familiar footsteps. Her mood soured only a little compared to how Zuko normally affected her.

_I'm getting soft. Ick._

"I need to talk to you, Zuko," she proclaimed once he caught sight of her. It was strange—his heart always beat faster when he saw her.

"Oh . . ?" he replied suspiciously. "I swear, I didn't tell anyone about your dojo—"

"Good to know. Here," she said sitting down against the Tunnel wall. "Sit."

Zuko hesitated. She didn't blame him, they never had the nice touching realization of friendship she'd had with Azula. Guilt's small, razor sharp teeth bit at Toph's stomach.

Ugh. She was _not_ going to start feeling bad for hating him for so long. Toph refused.

"Come on, will ya? I don't have a lot of time here," she growled. Once he sat down she breathed in deep, out of time with his. "So what's with all the heroics all of a sudden?"

"Uh . . ."

He was still trying to figure out why she was talking to him, she could tell. Guilt bit a little harder.

"GAH!" she exhaled, making Zuko jump. "I'm not going to bite your head off. I'm . . . trying to be nice."

"Why?" he asked, disbelief written all over his face.

Toph shrugged, "You're my best friend's brother, I guess."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"What was your question? Before?" he asked, scratching at his head.

"Uhm. Well, I just wanted to know why you're going on this mission with Lu Ten. I mean what's the rush with you Fire Nation Royalty to dominate the world?"

"Should I consider that to be seditious?"

Toph smirked. "Not if you don't want the future Fire Lady to be thrown in jail."

"Ah, damn. Anyway," he shifted gears. "I just need to get out of Gaoling."

Toph nodded. "Everyone does, only most aren't suicidal about it."

"What do you mean?" he turned towards her.

Toph seemed to struggle for words. "Azula is convinced you're gonna die."

Zuko groaned, sliding a hand down his face. "She's also overly dramatic."

Toph snorted. It was true, Azula always liked dramatics. She should become an actress. Toph scooted closer to Zuko, until her arm was touching his. She leaned into him, her brows furrowed and her mouth a straight line. "But what if she's right?"

Zuko stared at her; he could feel his cheeks flush. He knew she was just trying to be intimidating, but Agni . . . This was why he needed to get out of Gaoling. She pushed more of her weight into his shoulder waiting for his answer and all he could feel was the soft curve of her shoulder and all he could see was her lips. If only he could kiss them.

Zuko cleared his throat. "Is Toph concerned for my wellbeing?"

Toph snorted, leaning away. "I'm concerned for Azula." Guilt was practically sawing her guts now. She bowed her head, her fringe throwing her face into shadows. "But seeing as we are both concerned for Azula I suppose this could be the start of a _beautiful _friendship."

"You're kidding." His golden amber eyes seemed to melt as he watched her. This was the same girl that until quite recently pushed him away. The same girl that still, unfortunately, clutched his heart in her small hands. "I thought you hated me."

Toph shrugged. "So did I," she said before standing. She dug her toes into the Tunnel floor—she really was running out of time. "If there's one thing, though, that Lu Ten's taught me . . . it's that you aren't a bad guy, Zuko. Just because you were here when the Empire took Gaoling doesn't mean, you know . . ."

Zuko stood up and engulfed her in his arms. Hugging Toph wasn't something he had planned or thought about but he was glad it happened anyway. Some of her hair got caught in his fingertips and he realized that this was the closest he had ever gotten to her. If this was how things were going to be between them, he would take it. He wanted to be her friend at least, not someone she hated. He could leave Gaoling and be happy just because of this moment.

It took her a moment but Toph silently wrapped her arms around his torso. She felt how calm his pulse was, it was never this peaceful. She smiled softly, "I'm sorry, Zuko."

Zuko rubbed his hand against her back reassuringly. "It's nothing." He pulled away grinning. "Friend."

Toph nodded, "Friend."

After a moment of silence, Zuko gave her a very, very, _very_ formal bow before brushing past her and continuing on through the Tunnels, presumably to the Bei Fong Manor.

Toph laughed. _He's such a dork_, she thought to herself.

_But I guess he's alright. _

She readjusted her Blind Bandit bag on her shoulder and continued on to the Earth Rumble arena.

.

. .

. . .

. .

.

A/N: Toph's parents are gonna be important. Eventually.

And why don't you tell me about your opinions on Toph and Zuko in a review :) I'd love to hear 'em.


	12. Secret Lives

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: YOU READERS WHO I REALLY DON'T DESERVE  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

G r o w i n g U p N o r m a l—C h a p t e r ELEVEN

Toph couldn't get the maniacal grin off her face when she entered the arena. No one knew who she was here thanks to her disguises. She used to fight as herself but then things got sticky with the Royal Families frequent visits. So with the help of her manager, Wei, and Hashi, Toph built an entirely new person: The Blind Bandit—a blind young woman that dressed in flowing layers of black and covered her face too fight. It was hard to convince the fans of Earth Rumble of the transition from Toph Bei Fong to the Blind Bandit. Somehow, it worked.

Wei really was a miracle worker.

"You're cutting it kind of close, don't you think?" A voice spoke out over the deafening roars that bounced around the arena. Toph smiled at the sound of Wei's voice.

"Not at all," she smirked, turning and following her manager to the changing rooms for competitors.

Wei shook her head with mirth, "You might be good, kid, but I could drop you. Drop you for other, more _serious_ fighters." She paused. "Who show up on time and don't make me grey prematurely."

"I think gray would look gorgeous on you."

Wei glared. "Don't be a smart ass."

Toph laughed. Once they entered the changing rooms she tossed her bag against the most secluded corner she could find. "So how does the competition look?" she asked, wiggling her toes against the stone trying to get a good feel of the earthbenders around her.

Wei shrugged. "Boring."

"I heard The Boulder was coming out of retirement."

Wei's mood brightened at the mention of her childhood friend. "Oh yes, he's back."

"How's his new son?" Toph asked, more excited than she thought she would have been.

"Good. Maybe after the match The Boulder can introduce you to him."

"Maybe," Toph smiled.

"Alright, I'll let him know," Wei smiled. "Go ahead and get dressed." With a pat on her shoulder Wei left to let Toph get in the _zone_.

It was essential, in Tophs mind anyway to get in the right mindset for these kinds of fights. What too many people didn't understand was that the Blind Bandit wasn't perfect—pretty damn close. It wasn't just her and her opponent in the ring. The crowds were always jeering and shouting—trying to get into her head. Trying to mess her up. Then there were her constant companions, Sorrow and Suffering that liked to nip at her ankles just to make her feel uncomfortable. When Toph fought she could always feel Lu Ten's breath down her neck and the burning glare of Ozai.

And oddly enough, Zuko was there too—reminding her who she was. His voice would permeate her mind and clench at her heart. _Bei Fong?_ He had said when they first met. There had been awe and excitement in his voice.

Toph briefly wondered why she was so quick to hate him. He was only a kid. He couldn't have understood what sort of pain his family would cause the once small city of Gaoling. And honestly, he wasn't all that different from Lu Ten—a little bit quieter, angrier but so much alike. What if the roles were switched? What if Lu Ten was the one she hated and Zuko the one she loved . . .?

Toph snorted. Yeah, _right._

She reached inside her sack and began her transformation into the Blind Bandit.

It was a simple outfit, made out of flowing dark cloth that was light as air and billowed with her every movement. Wei told her that it was covered in sequins that sparkled dimly in the light. It was quite honestly her favorite piece of clothing that she owned, which was a big thing for Toph since liking something that was visually pleasing was kind of hard for her. The best part about the Blind Bandit's wardrobe was the way it exposed Toph's back, and more specifically her tattoo. It was a series of dark black lines that exploded and curved from the length of her spine to her sides and shoulders.

The Boulder had done it for her about a year before.

The dark clothes. The tattoo. The blindfold. And the transformation was complete and Toph was reading to kick some major butt.

O.0.O.0.O

"Come 'ere," Rolin murmured, when Azula approached her usual seat at the bar. She smiled at the sound of his voice and let him wrap his arms around her waist and pull her close. She leaned into his neck, engulfed in his sharp, minty scent.

"Hello," she murmured, kissing his collarbone.

"Nice disguise," he tugged at her green robe and her wild loose hair.

"What disguise?" she smirked, blinking innocently.

Rolin guffawed, pulling away from her to lean against the bar. She copied his movements leaning towards him instinctively. She'd been seeing him for about a year now. At first things started pretty casually and he hadn't even known her true identity. But he was smart and figured out her heiritage within a couple of months. Azula had expected him to drop her; instead he seemed to hold on to her even tighter.

"_I love you, and I don't care if world conquest is what brought you to me. We were meant to be together."_

Azula smiled at the memory. Rolin always spoke boldly, almost harshly, but then again so did she.

Rolin nudged her with his shoulder, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "What are you thinking about?" he sing songed in his rough, raspy voice that made her senses light on fire as if she had never meditated under the sun.

"You, when you first told me you loved me," she whispered nonchalantly. She barely glanced at him for a mere second before having his lips crash into her own. Azula placed a hand against his neck, holding him near.

When she pulled away, Rolin lightly rested his chin on her head, his arm coiled around her shoulders. "I _am_ a hopeless romantic after all."

Azula laughed, burrowing as far into his neck as she could. She would miss him—when her father sent her away. She burrowed further. Only pain would come out of this "soon-to-be-engagement". She should tell him, but the longer she sat there with him; talked with him; laughed with him the weaker her resolve became.

_I hate him_, she thought thinking of her father. Why wasn't he proud of her anymore? What did she do wrong to deserve this sort of fate? Azula would do anything for Rolin—she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life but her family was standing in her way. As she looked at Rolin, speaking animatedly about a man squawking like a mouseturkey the other night at the bar, she felt a sinking, almost overwhelming sense of dread wash over her. Would she have to choose between her family and the only guy that could make her happy?

_Ungh_. She took a large gulp of Rolin's saki.

.

. .

. . .

. .

.

It's not a long chapter at all. And yeah it's been a massively long time. And the only excuse I have is "school" but that's still pretty LAME-O huh? No idea when the next chapter is but seriously, I'm never giving up on this story, I love it too. And there really isn't enough Toko out there soooo. Please leave a review.

I edited and uploaded the prologue as well so go check it out. I really only changed the ages around so re reading it is notttt necessary. But yea.


	13. Of Kitchens, Fathers, and Marriages

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: Good music. The Gorillaz. "lilikoi boy" by Jonsi  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

l— TWELVE

The match wasn't going well, Wei decided. But then again, Wei always got worried about Toph's matches. _The Blind Bandit's_ matches, she reminded herself. For the past year or so, The Blind Bandit had developed the rather infamous habit of "playing" with her opponents. Most of the time it was all comical, and the audience would get a good laugh out of an otherwise boring and predictable Earth Rumble match. Other times, it was just downright scary to Wei. Like tonight, it was as if The Blind Bandit had forgotten everything she knew about bending. Seriously, what was going on?

She was constantly stumbling over raised slabs of earth in the ring, getting hit in the shoulder by dull and heavy stones, missing her target by a good two feet—

"What the hell?" Wei yelled, jumping to her feet as she watched The Blind Bandit stumble, _again, _and fall to her hands and knees. Wei turned to The Boulder, gesticulating wildly to the ring. "What is she doing?"

The Boulder shrugged, bouncing his new baby boy on his knee while his young wife leaned against his beefy arm.

Wei turned back to the ring, a wave of relief washing over her when she saw The Blind Bandit encased in an earthen armor quickly advancing upon the other earthbender. The match was over within the next couple of seconds, in which time Wei flopped back into her seat, her face buried in her hands. "Agni, I'm getting too old for this."

"Come on," The Boulder boomed. "It has been a long time since The Boulder has seen The Blind Bandit."

With Wei and his new family in tow The Boulder led the way to the changing rooms. The Blind Bandit hadn't even changed yet. She was still decked out in her black garb covered in dirt and bruises. She was leaning heavily against one of the bright white stoned walls, her breathing labored. The Boulder approached her first, placing a surprisingly light hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, The Pebble," she said tiredly, not moving an inch. "I heard about your new baby boy."

The Boulder grinned, "The Boulder is very happy."

The Blind Bandit turned her head towards him, a small smile hidden behind her black mask. "I'm glad."

She was swiftly led away from the wall and down onto one of the soft benches nearby. "The Blind Bandit is hurt." The Boulder stated.

She opened her mouth to object but The Boulders wife was already at work, healing the Bandit's scrapes and bruises on her naked back. Karah was from the northern water tribe and had been trained in the _blessed_ art of healing.

"I missed you Karah," she said, rolling her shoulders as the waterbender worked.

The older woman chuckled before Wei could contain herself no longer. "What were you thinking out there? Are you absolutely and completely utterly senile?"

"No." she muttered, pulling her mask away. The Blind Bandit enigma instantly abolished, replaced by Toph Bei Fong, fiancé of the future Fire Lord. "I was just a little distracted tonight, Wei, no big deal."

"No big deal?" Wei flipped. "You were _losing_! That is a very big deal, kid."

"And that's all you care about, isn't it?" she bellowed, rising to her feet, Karah's water splashing to the floor, disturbed. "So long as I win, you're happy right?"

Wei gaped, placing both of her hands on the younger girl's shoulders. "Toph, don't you dare misplace my frustrations like that. I care about you. You have been a part of my life for five years, so believe me when I say that I know better than to think you are the losing type. I know something's wrong, so tell me: what happened?"

Toph waved her hand at the woman, her eyes fogging over with tears. "Wei, my life is just messed up and I don't know how to fix it, honestly."

Wei couldn't fight her there so with one fleeting look and a feeble goodbye to her favorite Earth Rumble Champion, Wei ducked out of the changing room, her eyes filling up with hopeless tears.

The Boulder placed his son in Toph's arms. The baby was very small. Toph graced her dirt smudged fingers across his face. "What's his name?"

"We named him after my father," Karah smiled.

"Bapo."

Toph smiled softly. But her mind was racing with questions. Questions about her future and about her past. Questions about Lu Ten and the Fire Nation Empire. Was Azula going to be alright with this new and "potential" fiancé to deal with? Questions about the Avatar and Zuko, drowning her into an eerily comfortable oblivion.

She groaned. _I need a vacation. _

Later, The Boulder sent his wife and new son home while he went on his way to a small bar with Toph. Getting wasted together was one of their favorite catching-up activities. It always made for a few fun hours, a few messy bar fights, a couple mean headaches in the morning. Only, Toph wasn't feeling up to anything remotely raucous or high spirited. They were a few yards away from the underground pub when she halted, leaning against the wall tiredly.

"Listen, The Pebble," she said. "I'm not feeling up for drinks tonight, I'm just going to go home, okay?"

The Boulder nodded, placing a large hand on her shoulder. "The Boulder thinks it's for the best. . . Toph?" he inquired.

"Hm?"

"You're not alone. You might think that no one cares about you or about the choices you make, but there are so many . . . so many more than you might think."

Toph nodded heavily and gave The Boulder's hand a squeeze before turning back home, the vibrations beyond the Tunnels her only companion.

She really didn't know what had happened during her match. She'd done everything normal: her breathing exercises, her meditation, her warm ups. Everything was as it should have been, that is, until she stepped into the ring. The crowd was too overwhelming, and the voices were too loud, and the vibrations too confusing and muddy. And suddenly, much too quickly, she was losing the match.

The tears had built up by the time she reached the metal door to the Bei Fong estate. The two guards nodded her through, barely tearing their eyes from their current card game. She was having trouble breathing and there was a lump in her throat. The Boulder's words had hit home for her. She started going through the list of all the people she knew, of all the people she knew who _cared_.

Her parents, and Azula of course. Lu Ten was there, Iroh, Maybe even Ursa. Hashi, and Amo and Yoshi . . . The Boulder definitely cared as did his wife. Wei, too. The common people in Gaoling sure seemed to care as well. They were always handing her soft silks and heavy jewelry. As if she cared for those things herself!

When Toph entered the kitchens to grab some dinner, she stopped cold. Someone was in there . . . asleep, slumped against one of the high tables. She took a few steps closer and realized, nostalgia seeping through her skin through the floor as she felt her father's familiar heartbeat pound diligently and calmly in his sleep. The sound of his breathing reached her ears as well and sighed somewhat content.

In the past few years Toph rarely spoke to her parents. She loved them, but talking to them was hard. And she knew it wasn't easy for them to talk to her either.

She walked up to her father and placed a hand on his back. Lao Bei Fong jerked awake, his quick reflexes startling Toph into speech. "Whoa, Dad it's me, Toph."

He locked eyes with his daughters minty blind ones before relaxing. Lao rubbed his eyes, the exhaustion replacing the adrenaline that had spiked in his blood upon waking.

"Toph," he grumbled. "What time is it? Is it morning?"

She shook her head, taking a seat on the stool next to his. "No, it's barely past midnight. What're you doing in the kitchen?"

Lao snorted, a rare display of amusement. "Home so late?" he teased.

Toph was silent. It was a dog eat dog world now. He understood that she had secrets to keep and she understood that he had his.

A few moments later Toph coughed, raising a question that she had been pondering for some time now. "Do you think this is all messed up? Well a lot of it is messed up, but should I be marrying the Lu Ten?"

She wanted too, by the spirits did she want to! Toph also knew that no matter what her father said she was going to marry Lu Ten anyway, but there was something that tugged at her gut. Perhaps, a lingering sense of daughterly duty to the man that tried his best to keep her safe throughout her life. She wanted to make him happy, deep down, to show him that she cared as well.

Lao sighed heavily before straightening in his chair. "You have definitely put yourself in quite the trying predicament, my daughter. As a business man," he paused, "as a _successful_ business man I behold your engagement to the young prince as a blessing. A harmonious union! Much would lie on your shoulders of course. You would inevitably be responsible for the welfare and treatment of the Earth Kingdom. You would be an unofficial ambassador for our people. But as your father, Toph, I do not want that for you."

Toph could hear the quiver in his voice as he spoke her name. And she was deeply touched by her father's bare emotion. Lao reached for his daughter's hand with both of his. "It is too much, Toph. You of all people are probably the best for it, but that doesn't change the fact that I will live my life in worry and fear for you. Lu Ten is a good man, Toph. Of this I have learned in the last few years. The Royal family is _good_, Toph."

"Except for Ozai." She interjected quickly, her index finger waging in the air.

Lao smiled, skipping over her comment. "It is the Fire Nation's pride that is the problem, Toph. Remember that."

Toph nodded solemnly as she recognized the truth in his words. "Dad? I know it's . . . shocking, but I would really like to know your opinion: Should I marry Lu Ten?"

"You love him, yes?" he asked, a wry smirk tugging at his mouth. He missed his daughter and it was a very gratifying experience to have her ask for his opinion.

"Yes, I do, very much."

"Then, yes, you should marry him. No matter what happens I believe that he will take care of you and love you as you love him."

She nodded again, her head inclined towards the ground. "Should I be Fire Lady?"

Lao widened his eyes at the possibility. "I do not see a way out of it, my daughter."

"Neither did I."

"Do not fill yourself with false hope, Toph. It only makes life harder."

"What can I hope for then?" she asked weakly. "I'm running out of ways to keep going, Dad. I'm haunted by all these choices and all of these people that depend on me here in Gaoling and of all the expectations I have to live up to."

Lao wrapped an arm around his daughter and whispered in her ear. "I know you are probably already aware of this, but the Avatar has indeed escaped. It is the Avatar's fully realized return that _I myself_ hope for."

"Really?" Toph had thought her father was in the dark about a lot of things like that. She wondered if he knew more.

"Yes. Look what his escape has done to our home. Ozai, is gone. We have more room to breathe, more freedom."

Toph smiled. Her father was completely and totally right! This oppression wasn't going to last forever. The Avatar had escaped and he was going to save them. Toph kissed her father on the cheek and thanked him before he left for bed.

Not five minutes passed before Zuko walked into the kitchen, catching Toph, red-handed, stuffing her face with left over pieces of venison. He laughed at her guilty expression. "Keep eating, you hardly eat during the day anyways."

She raised an eyebrow, taking another sloppy bite of the meat. "You noticed that did you?"

Zuko gulped, trying to control the way her voice effected him. She seemed to be in a good mood. "Do you know where Azula is? My mother told me to watch out for her, and I'm failing horribly."

Toph shrugged. "Not a clue." She's probably with Rolin, she thought to herself.

Zuko sighed resignedly as he made his way out of the kitchen. "Alright, well I think Lu Ten waited up for you. He's been in his study since noon."

"Hey," Toph called out, following him through the manor. "You don't have to worry about Azula, so much. She's fine." She was trying to embrace the whole be-Zuko's-friend thing. It wasn't so bad.

"I do have to worry. She's the only sister I've got."

Toph smiled at his sincerity and nudged him. "She probably doesn't deserve you as a brother."

Zuko chuckled, nudging her back. "She really doesn't."

Toph laughed and stepped away. "Well, goodnight Zuko," she said approaching the door to Lu Ten's study.

"G'night, Toph."

She disappeared through the door, and against his better judgment Zuko stood there, pressing his ear against the door gently. He could hear their soft voices murmuring to each other, almost in whispers. No fights, no contempt. Just love.

Maybe he would find that someday. If only he could get Toph out of his head.


	14. The Rise, in Parts I, II, and III

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: I know I'm a wolf~ the young Heretics  
**Warnings:** Language/ mentions of INTERCOURSE lol  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

l— THIRTEEN

The Rise Part I: Azula

Azula was eating breakfast on the small table in his room. The sun hadn't risen yet but it was about too. "I have to go soon," she said, her eyes fixed on the horizon.

"I know," he replied from the bed, the sheets wrapped loosely around his waist. He had been watching her closely since they had awoken and he knew she was nervous. She was never at ease anymore. She breathed in worry, breathed out worry.

He hated seeing her this way.

"Rolin," she said, standing from her perch and joining him in his bed. "I have to tell you something."

"I'm not going to like it . . . am I?" he stroked her hair. He had been expecting something like this—whatever "this" was going to turn out to be—but so soon?

"No," her voice shook. "My father is in the process of arranging a marriage for me, Rolin." Azula's eyes were filling with tears that she knew she wouldn't be able to hold back. Just like she knew she wouldn't be able to hold back the truth. "I'm so sorry," she closed her eyes.

"Who is he?"

"A family friend. I've only met him a couple times."

"Is there any way out of it?" he asked, but even his own voice lacked the luster required. He knew he was doing a horrible job at comforting her, but then again so was she.

"I'm leaving for Omashu with Toph tomorrow morning. That's where I'll meet him, and where he'll . . . propose to me."

"Shit," he held her close. He wanted to be mad at her. "Shit," he said again.

"I told you I was dangerous," she murmured into his neck.

He was quickly overwhelmed by the memory of a dark night in his grandfather's bar, where he had met a dark girl who had stolen his heart.

He sobbed into her hair. Rolin never wanted to let her go, never wanted to be apart from her. "I want you to make love to me," she said, her hands on his face.

He held her tighter. "Now?"

She kissed him, passionately. He could taste her desire and she could taste his. And so he never let her go, and never was apart from her.

At least before the horizon broke so that the sun could rise.

The Rise Part II: Toph

Toph spent the first half of the night crying and the last half trying to fall asleep. But sleep never came. At least it felt like it never came. The night was practically endless and she regretted not going to Lu Ten's room when she had the chance. Ozai and his wife had returned late into the night from their trip to Ba Sing Se. Her fiancé was inevitably caught up in reports his Aunt and Uncle had returned with.

And as it so often was the case, her mind could not find respite throughout the night. All she could think about was if the Avatar was still out there somewhere, preparing to take down the Fire Nation Empire or if he was once again under lock and key. But then _again_ was her relationship with the prince of the Empire himself. The Avatar was an enemy to her future nation, a nation that was her own enemy.

She felt like she was being torn into two different people. The question was which one would crumble and waste away and which one would thrive?

It was too early to tell.

All too soon there were the sounds of a waking mansion. Fully, though reluctantly aware of the fact that sleep was hopeless, Toph quickly dressed in the clothes Hashi had laid out for her the night before. She then walked smoothly until she reached Lu Ten's bed chambers. She could hear his steady breathing and she felt her eyes water. She never cried for him. She never thought she would.

Toph walked towards the bed and felt for his face among the light silks. He was so warm, so peaceful and she did not want him to go to the Southern Water Tribe. Her thumb stroked his cheek and Lu Ten stirred awake. He pulled her close, his bare arm wrapping effortlessly around her form.

"Good morning, wife."

He'd been calling her by that title for a couple weeks now, and she fell in love with him a little more each time he did. "Good morning," she smiled.

They laid there for some time in silence and his heartbeat nearly rocked her into the comforting sleep that had avoided her so cruelly. "I'm not going to fight with you today," she murmured, sleepy.

He kissed her forehead. "I'm not going to either, love." There was another lull of silence. "Toph, I want you to know that you're one of the most influential people in my life, and you've changed my mind about a lot of things. . . What I mean to say is . . . that when I'm Fire Lord . . ."

Her fingers tapped against his cheek when he paused, urging him to continue. "Tell me," she said patiently.

" . . . Toph I promise you that when I'm Fire Lord I will end the Empire's expansion. I see the hurt it has caused you and many others in the world and . . . I just don't want to hurt you anymore," he whispered, his voice filled with apologetic anguish.

She kissed him quickly, her soul aching next to his. Lu Ten rolled until he was on top of her, his hands on either side of her head. Her hands were still on his face, feeling every muscle every bone as he moved against her. "If you can do that for me, Lu Ten, I think I can be your Fire Lady," she said.

"I love you."

"I'll miss you, Soldier Boy, so you better come back soon."

The Rise Part III: Zuko

It was his last day in Gaoling and he felt strangely free. He honestly could care less that his sister and mother were convinced that he was walking into his own quick demise. Zuko could careless that after this very day, he would never return to the city that reminded him only of heartache. He could care less about the freedom of the Southern Watertribe.

And caring less had never felt _so good_.

When Zuko woke that morning he had stared in the mirror for a long time. His hair was long, traditional for a man his age, inky, jet black hair that reached just past his shoulder blades. Half of it was held back in a simple top knot, a golden headpiece shimmering in the light. Smooth alabaster skin opened up to striking amber eyes and a pale pink mouth.

He looked exactly the same, only he felt like a ticking bomb. Because like his sister and like his mother, he too was convinced that he was knocking quite insistently at Deaths Door.

The rest of the day was a blur. The whole of Gaoling it seemed had gathered near the Bei Fong home. Toph and her family had bid farewell, a little stiffly in front of the crowd. Her parents bowed and curtseyed while Toph however kissed Zuko on each cheek smirking a little. She, with her hand lightly placed on his shoulder whispered, "Remember not to die too quickly." Her breath tickled his skin, and there were goose bumps rising under all his decorative armor. But he could still care less. He humored the idea of gathering her in his arms and kissing her senseless, not caring that Lu Ten stood just a foot away. Not caring that his parents would never look at him the same. And especially not caring when Azula smirked.

He of course decided against it, as his hand rose to tuck a stray piece of her long hair behind her ear. She wrinkled her nose at his display of affection before moving on to Lu Ten. Toph kissed him openly, on the mouth, her body scandalously close to his. The crowd cheered and Zuko was mesmerized by how taken the Gaoling population was with the young bride-to-be. Even some of the Fire Nation colonists were smiling widely at her antics. She was revered, respected and loved by these people.

Her people.

Azula's hand reached out for his and he turned to her. She looked tired and worried, but her eyes were shining brightly and there was a smile on her face. "Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes flickering between him and the embracing couple.

He glanced at them before responding, "You know, Azula. I could care less." He gestured to the crowd, "They seem to love it, though."

Azula snorted. "Yes, they do."

"What are they shouting?" Ursa leaned over curiously.

Zuko listened closely, but there were so many voices and so many different sounds that it was impossible for him to make it out.

"They're shouting her name," Azula smiled.

Later, on the Fire Navy battleship, Zuko lay awake in the bunk above his cousins. He could still hear the Gaoling people chanting Toph's name. He could still see his father's disapproving frown as Toph waved almost triumphantly to the multitude. It made him realize that in the grand scheme of things he would never be as big and full of life as she was.

Toph had stolen the hearts of the Fire Nation people, slowly, one by one. It had started, of course, with Zuko, on that fateful spring morning—or perhaps it was summer, he could not remember—when Prince Ozai had claimed Gaoling a part of his brother's Empire. Then she took Lu Ten's heart, followed shortly by Azula and her mother. And the rest of Gaoling was doomed as they watched her grow into a strong young woman with blind eyes and heart strong enough for them all.

She was their true sovereign because while Zuko was busy caring less, so was Gaoling. He did not matter to them, that is why they did not chant his name, Lu Ten's name.

He mouthed her name in the dark of the night, matching the chants his mind was reliving from that morning. She still had his heart and he could care less. She was his Queen and he could care less.

.

. .

. . .

. . .

. .

.

A/N: yay I updated! So I suggest you listen to "I Know I'm A Wolf" by the Young Heretics cuz it applies to so many characters in this story. And it's just musically beautiful either way. I love it.

Please please please tell me what you thought of this chapter. The plot should be moving quite quickly for the next couple chapters. I'm so excited for you all! .

Anywhoozles who just loved the Legend of Korra finale (no matter how rushed it was lol)? And what about those three official seasons we will be getting from Bryke? I'm still remaining that Toko has got a chance at being Cannon.

I WILL GO DOWN WITH THIS SHIP.

Love, Allie.


	15. Sincerity

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: my reviewers. I love y'all  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

l— FOURTEEN

After Zuko and Lu Ten had left Gaoling, Azula couldn't get away from the Bei Fong Manor any quicker. It wasn't hard to slip by her parents. For the past couple years she had been so low on their list of priorities that it wouldn't surprise her if they _forgot_ to send her to Omashu the next morning. She didn't understand what had happened. She used to be her father's favorite. At least that's what she had always thought.

Between her and Zuko she was always the better firebender, the better strategist, the better politician. She still is, but now she was a waste of space? What did her father expect? For her to take the throne? Not with Lu Ten around, not with an older brother. What was the point in pushing for perfection?

She raised her arms to unclip her hair from the top of her head. The tight top knot was starting to cause a headache. She shook her head a little to loosen her thick hair and as she did so she caught sight of a man to her left staring straight at her. She looked closer and could hardly fight the fierce flush from engulfing her face when she realized that the man was Rolin. He was leaning against a stone wall with his arms crossed as he ran his eyes over her almost appraisingly.

She crossed her arms, slowing her pace. Rolin nodded his head at her in a gesture for her to follow him. Azula rolled her eyes but did so nonetheless. The Gaoling people parted for her as she walked and she noticed that they held no contempt for her. Some nodded, respectfully as she passed.

All too soon she lost sight of Rolin. She craned her neck hoping to catch sight of him in the bustling streets, but no such luck. "Over here, love," a low voice called, accompanied by an arm shooting out from a dark alley, and fingers curling around her elbow pulling her into the darkness. She yelped, unused to being caught unawares.

"Rolin! You, idiot! You need to be more careful. Someone could've seen you."

He pulled her further down the alley and just laughed. He held a hand against her waist as he guided her through a stone door that led to a rather quiet part of the Tunnels. "I just wanted to be alone with you again," he murmured against her ear.

The memories of that morning washed over her and she couldn't keep the grin off her face. She kissed him, the feel of his arms around her reminding her of how close they had been, how close she wanted to be. "Mhhhh," she hummed, kissing his chin.

Rolin combed his fingers through her hair, looking into her amber-gold eyes. "You're beautiful, Azula."

She tilted her head, not sure how to respond. Every time she was near him her world shone a few decibels brighter. Sometimes she didn't know how to act around such a happy man—she wasn't used to them.

"Will I ever get to hold you again?" he asked her.

Azula bit her lip. "Not like you want to."

"What do you mean?"

She looked around, making sure no one was in sight. It was something she had been thinking about for a couple weeks. "We could still be together. But it would be a lot of sneaking around. There's no way out of this engagement, Rolin, however _I'm_ not totally opposed to cheating and lying." Azula paused to place a hand on his cheek. He was frowning now. "You, on the other hand, are a much better person than I am. I think that it would be a miserable way of living for you. You shouldn't have to hide behind closed doors to love someone."

Rolin was silent and he wasn't holding on to her anymore. His arms were crossed tightly and his toes were digging into floor. "Is that supposed to be your own twisted way of getting rid of me?"

Azula sighed as he glared at her. "No, Rolin. You know I don't want to get rid of you." She stared him down calmly, waiting for his gaze to soften. When it did she kissed his cheek, her lips lingering on his skin. "I'm just voicing our options."

"Here's an option," he quipped quickly. "You pack your things and we leave this place for good."

She frowned. "You know that wouldn't work."

"Why not?"

Azula pursed her lips. It was all so romantic, the idea of running off with him. To be able to love him freely. "They caught the Avatar, Rolin. They'll have no difficulty finding us. Please," she pulled him into an embrace. "You're making this harder for me."

"And you made it practically impossible for _me_ this morning."

She laughed softly, drawing her lips to his.

"Besides," he murmured, humor threading through his lustful voice. "I thought you said the Avatar escaped."

Azula quickly shushed him, rolling her eyes. She loved being with him. He smoothed out her rough edges and made her want to be better. When she was with him she didn't want to be a bitch, she just wanted to be a normal girl in love with a normal boy. Azula felt safe with him, he was safer than her family.

As he kissed her Azula could feel his hands graze up and down her back, leaving a warm trail behind. Rolin nudged at her until she was caught between him and the wall. "I want you for myself," he whispered hoarsely, his fingers gripping her waist.

She stared into his deep green eyes, "And I want you." She touched his cheek. "Believe me, I do."

"Azula," a voice drawled, startling the two lovers apart. It was Toph, stepping into the Tunnel shadows. "So this is the boyfriend? I'm Toph." She stuck her hand out for Rolin to shake.

He coughed awkwardly, glancing unsurely at Azula who was rolling her eyes. "Um, Toph. We've already met, remember? Many times, at my grandfather's bar?"

Toph's eyes squinted in irritation. "I don't like your tone, sonny."

Azula snorted. "What do you want Toph?"

The younger girl paused. "That's a big question. You see, I want a lot of things. Anyways, I was just coming to let you know that everyone's looking for you so wrap it up you two before someone who will actually be offended by your love comes and finds you."

Azula and Rolin shared a look. Rolin reached out and pinched her chin comfortingly between his thumb and forefinger. "You'll know where to find me," he said. "If you grow sick of your . . . obligations."

"Rolin . . ." He didn't understand the futility of their situation.

"I'll be ready for you. My things will be packed, our destination mapped out. I'll just be waiting for your signal." He kissed her deeply.

Her mind dizzy and her breath shaky, Azula nodded as she tried to fend off the tears. "Okay."

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too, Rolin."

He moved away from her, glancing back more than once. When the man reached Toph, he gave her a gentle hug. "Keep her safe, Toph."

And then he was gone, and Azula collided into Tophs arms, silent sobs betraying her.

0.O.0.O.0

When the two young women reached the Bei Fong Manor, Prince Ozai and his wife were waiting for them.

Ursa spoke first, a warm smile reaching her voice. "Thank you, Toph for finding her."

Toph smiled with an inclined head. "It was no problem."

"So," Azula started, her voice sounding bored. "When are we leaving."

"Actually, that is what we are here to discuss. There has been a change of plan," Ozai said rather calmly. "We received a letter this morning, from Shen Wai, that he has fallen ill and has asked to delay your arrival."

Toph could feel Azula's heart stop momentarily. Hope was sinking in.

Ursa took over. "This has given you're father and I reason to talk. Azula, perhaps . . . perhaps we rushed into this whole engagement debacle. Especially now that your brother has gone off to battle. Honey, your father and I simply didn't think this through."

Ozai nodded, solemnly. "We are very sorry, my child."

Though it was surprising, Toph could tell that Azula's father was being sincere. Azula breathed deeply beside her, "I forgive you," she said gracefully before rushing into a hug with her parents. "Thank you for not sending me away," her voice was shaking.

Honestly, the only thing going through Toph's mind were alarms. Everything had gotten so _awkward_ so fast. Ozai had asked for forgiveness and was now hugging his daughter?

_I need a nap_.

Toph was about to slip away when Ozai held up his hand. "Miss Bei Fong, I wanted to commend you for your work on the temporary dwellings for the new Fire Nation colonists." Though the compliment was rather reluctant, Toph could still sense the man's sincerity. "Perhaps, you will do well as Fire Lady."

Toph raised her eyebrows at the compliments. "Thank you, Prince Ozai."

Later that afternoon, Toph confronted Azula in the library. "I'm sorry, but what was with your father this morning?"

Azula snorted, tossing a scroll on the floor. She made room for Toph to sit next to her, before wrapping an arm around her, pulling her close. "I think it all had to do with Zuko leaving today. We didn't always used to be so hostile towards one another, you know?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. You just caught a glimpse of our old family. We all did." Azula sighed leaning her head back.

"Thinking about Rolin?" Toph asked cheekily.

"Yup."

.

. .

. . .

. . .

. .

.

A/N: another short chapter that's wayyy later than it should be. I'm sorry guys. I've had some family troubles but everything seems to be looking better now soooo I press on.

Ozai has a heart? Lol

It's actually a new character development that I decided to spin. He's still a jerk, but I'm gonna humanize him. It will all work out, it doesn't change the plot, which is coming! Lol

Tell me what you thought.

Love, Allie


	16. Heavy

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

_Chapter 15_

**The Rise Part IV: Sokka **

_The Southern Watertribe—_

_I was not sent here to stare at her like a _creep_!_ Sokka thought to himself angrily. But no matter what he thought he just couldn't keep his eyes from the sleeping form of his friend Laika. He was _supposed _to be waking her up so that they could set out for their sister tribe in the North Pole. Katara and the Kyoshi warriors had left some time ago, leaving Sokka and Laika to prepare the Elite Protection Force (EPF) they had been assigned to assemble.

Sokka gulped, reaching out and shook the girl almost violently into consciousness. Four things happened:

First, Laika sprung awake, ocean eyes wide.

Second, she struck Sokka in the eye with her fist.

Third, pain. Startled pain that left Sokka howling as he clutched at his face.

And finally, complete and utter embarrassment for both parties.

"Gah! Laika, seriously?!" he growled, still cradling his right eye.

"OH MY GOSH! Sokka I'm so sorry. So, so sorry," she gushed. She threw her animal hide blankets away and started flapping her hands in a flustered manner that resembled a penguin trying to fly. "You just scared me, I was just reacting. Oh man, Pakku was right . . ." Laika brought her hands up to her face, shaking her head frantically. "I'm a menace to society, I should be locked up. Here let me look at it, move your hand."

Sokka who was still simpering pathetically paused to glare at his sister's friend. "No."

"I just want to see if it's bruising," she pleaded, almost ecstatic. Sokka noted how quickly she seemed to have gotten over her remorse.

Sokka sighed, removing his hand so that she could look at it. She leaned close, her cool salty scent rushing around him. The girl raised her finger and poked the skin around his eye causing Sokka to reel back, hissing in pain.

"Hey!" he declared.

"It's already swollen," she grinned triumphantly.

"It's going to bruise, isn't it?"

"Beautifully."

Sokka sighed, massaging his eye once more before deciding to get to business. "I woke you because we got word back from Katara during the night."

"How'd the mission go," Laika asked, assuming a professional (finally!) disposition.

"According to plan, actually. Katara and the Kyoshi Warriors rarely had to deviate from the original plan. They got into Ba Sing Se no problem, located the Avatar at the rendezvous point, had a couple run ins with a few bounty hunters on the way out of Ba Sing Se but they should have reached the North Pole by now."

Laika smiled. "Well, aren't you pleased with yourself?"

Sokka smirked. "It was my plan after all. And it all worked out. The Avatar is safe and so is my sister. Why shouldn't I be pleased?"

The girl looked around her hut for moment, locating her parka and thick boots, as she dressed she looked up at Sokka. She shrugged. "I'm glad your plan worked out, Sokka. When are we to expect to meet up with them?"

"We'll leave with the EPF as soon as tomorrow morning if not tonight."

"Okay," she nodded, pulling Sokka out to the icy tundra that was their home. "Let's get everyone . . ."

Sokka waited for her to continue but she seemed to have frozen in her spot. He could feel dread wash over him. Her eyes were cast skyward, mouth agape. Sokka didn't think she was even breathing. "Sokka," she choked, grabbing onto his arm. He could feel her nails digging into his skin through the thick wolf hide.

He followed her gaze. What he saw terrified him, haunted his very dreams. The snow falling from the sky had been stained black. His body jumped to action, he ran and shouted waking the whole village.

Sounding the alarm.

"THE FIRE NATION IS HERE!"

**The Rise Part V: Lu Ten**

Every night since he and his men had set out for the South Pole Lu Ten feared that it would be impossible to sleep, and each night his fears were unproven. He slept calmly, deeply, his mind almost completely void of dreams. Unfortunately, that was the only time his mind was at rest. By day, the heir to the Fire Nation Empire was haunted by nightmarish scenarios and doubts.

It was frightening; the hold Toph had had on him. The influence she had been to him in just two short years of knowing her. Maybe it was the fact that she was fundamentally a victim under his Empire's rule, or maybe her sheer, though controlled passion that changed his way of thinking. Perhaps it was just his unyielding love for the woman that clouded his judgment, he honestly couldn't be sure. Either way she made him question his current mission, and ultimately his desire to take his father's place on the throne.

All he could see, as he imagined his troops charging into the South Pole, was a younger Toph _demanding_ to know what all the ruckus was about. And then he felt nauseas, with half a mind to turn the ship around and return to his fiancé. It all needed to stop, so naturally, Lu Ten sought out his cousin's company.

The younger man was the absolute epitome of calm as he stood on the starboard side of the ship, staring off into the horizon. Yes, this is exactly what Lu Ten needed, a nice long talk with Zuko. Some common sense to ease his troubled mind.

"Hey, Zuko," he said, striding over to the younger boy.

"Lu Ten,"

Zuko hadn't looked away from the ocean. The sun was beginning its descent, tomorrow they would reach the South Pole and Lu Ten tried to push down the wave of nausea as he thought about it. He looked at his cousin and was shocked by how similar it was to looking into a mirror. They had always looked alike as they grew up and since they were relatives it wasn't much of a surprise. Now, though, Zuko's hair was almost as long as Lu Ten's, and he was just as tall. Not to mention their golden eyes were the exact same shade of amber. They could've been twins nowadays.

"How are you?" he asked.

Zuko breathed deeply before giving his head a curt nod, "Great." He tore his eyes away from the ocean, "Getting out of Gaoling was exactly what I needed."

"Really?" Lu ten asked, genuinely curious. "Why?"

Zuko paused, his eyes shifting from Lu Ten to the sky to the ocean. "Too many memories. It was, simply, just time for me to leave."

"Why leave it for this then?" he asked. "You're a grown man, Zuko. Couldn't you have just left on your own? Wouldn't you rather go home instead of battle?"

"It just seemed like the better option."

"Azula is convinced you're going to die."

Zuko snorted. "Yes. According to Azula, according to my parents, _and _according to Toph—who by the way doesn't give a damn— I'm mentally unhinged for reasons unknown and am on a sure course to suicide. Now tell me, are you among them as well?"

Lu Ten placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking with silent laughter. "Yes," he joked.

Zuko grinned, "Oh, go away."

"Acutally, I wanted to speak with you about something."

"Alright."

"I want you to tell me about the day your father conquered Gaoling seven years ago."

Zuko scowled, cursing at the ocean, good mood definitely thrown out the window. "Don't tell me you're getting cold feet, General."

"Zuko, I need to know."

"I don't see why you're so torn up about this. You were at Ba Sing Se, you know how these conquests work. The South Pole is going to be the same, so stop second guessing yourself and just get the job done." He began to walk away but Lu Ten stopped him short with a hand on his arm.

"Why are you fighting me on this?"

Zuko sighed and turned to face him. "Because I know she's gotten into your head."

Lu Ten's jaw tightened. "I have to know. You were there Zuko."

The younger man slid his hand down his face, cursing vehemently before nodding. "Gaoling wasn't like all the other Earth Kingdom villages we've conquered, which is probably why my father brought me along. Gaoling was a purely business oriented, on the rise, city. There was no military to fight— all we had to do was look powerful and unyielding as we marched into the town square. No one died, no one even got burned. Gaoling became a colony of the Fire Nation Empire within minutes."

When it seemed that Zuko was done speaking, Lu Ten glared. "Continue. I want you to tell me about Toph."

"And I think you already know the story," he growled. So much for a calm conversation.

"Only from Toph's perspective. She put her own bitter little twist on things. I need a clear account of what happened and I can only get that from you."

Zuko continued to glare, his voice tight and his mouth barely moving. "My father began to speak on behalf of the Fire Lord when a young girl demanded to know who we were and why we were there. Father then in turn demanded to know who she was. I recognized her immediately when she told us she was a Bei Fong—well I recognized her family at least. Until that moment I had no idea there even was an heiress."

"What did she look like?"

"A pig. My father called her a peasant, if I do remember correctly."

"No, I mean. What did she look like to you?"

"Remember how I said there are too many memories? You're quite possibly digging up the worst ones, dear cousin," Zuko said trying to end the conversation.

"Dammit, Zuko."

Zuko sighed. "She looked like damn royalty to me, Lu Ten. She wasn't eloquent _at all_. She fucking _whined_ at my father. But despite all that, I thought she was a right princess, and I fucking fell in love with her for it."

Lu Ten stared.

"You wanted to know what that day was like, and honestly I'm sick of keeping it from you. I love your fiancé, a girl who is capable of feeling nothing other than hatred for me because I ruined her life and I took her home from her. And that's exactly why I'm here—to get her out of my head so that I don't have to be _jealous _of you anymore."

"Wow."

Zuko leaned his head against the ship rail. His ears had started to smoke as well. "Sorry for putting _my own_ bitter little twist on the account."

"Wow."

"If you say 'wow' one more time, I'm cutting your tongue out." Zuko looked up at his cousin who was wide eyed and just a little on the pale side. "Look, Lu, I tried to fight it. I tried hating her. I never tried anything with her."

Lu Ten nodded, numbly. "I know." And he did. "I just don't really have words at the moment. Come on," he said, walking away. "Let's break into some alcohol."

For the next few hours Lu Ten and Zuko drank to their hearts content, sharing stories from growing up in Gaoling (on Zuko's part) and Earth Kingdom drinking ballads (on Lu Ten's part). Oddly enough, they rarely mentioned Toph but there was peace. There was understanding.

And there was acceptance.

**The Rise Part VI: Zuko**

Zuko is in limbo. He does not remember why there was so much noise, why there was so much chaos around him. The last thing he can recall is getting a little more than tipsy with his cousin—which in hindsight was not a smart thing to do the night before they went into battle.

_Battle!_ Was he in battle?

Zuko looked around. There were jettisoning streams of fire, and shards of ice colliding and giving off steam every where he looked. The grinding and gnashing of swords rang in his ears. Finally he stepped through limbo and promptly fell into hell. The Water Tribe warriors were loud, their war cries bold and unyielding. He wanted them to shut up, for just a second so he could think, dammit. In complete contrast—as if the water and fire weren't contrast enough—the Fire Nation soldiers were completely silent, only the roar of their flames and their heavy breathing could be detected.

Without really thinking about it, Zuko raised his arm up to send a blast of fire at the deadly point of a spear, but he was too slow. The spear sliced into his face, dangerously close to his left eye. It was more uncomfortable than painful, he noted, to have his skin tugged like that. Zuko roared, blasting the man away. He began to fight again, he wondered what he had been doing while he was limbo.

_Stupid_, he told himself. _You could have died without even realizing it_.

But perhaps he already was dead—he did in fact land in hell.

After successfully downing about fifteen men, Zuko located Lu ten who looked to be struggling. Actually everyone seemed to be struggling. They were obviously outnumbered—they had miscalculated. Lu Ten struggled to keep his balance against the swordsman.

Their miscalculations would probably be the death of them.

Zuko made his way towards his cousin. The short journey of only about fifty yards took him longer than he was comfortable with. Their opponents definitely had the homeland advantage. Though it was summer, the snow was packed high around his shins making it hard to maneuver. Thank Agni they had the common sense to fight during the day whilst they were strongest.

Suddenly Zuko was face to face with a woman. A _woman_ on the battlefield. For a good while they stared at each other. Zuko attempted to walk around her but she hissed, fucking hissed and followed. He tried the other direction but the same result. It was then that he realized that she was guarding the swordsman that Lu Ten was engaged with.

"Fucking hell," he groaned, settling into a fighting stance.

The only reason he could tell that she wasn't a woman was because of her long braided hair. Her coat bundled her figure up, and she wore a mask made of bone, fangs covering her lips. He could see her eyes, ferocious and dark as the depths of the ocean.

Her bending was just as ferocious as her eyes, he quickly found out. Shards of glassy ice were enough to keep him at bay. Zuko struggled to get a good shot at her. His eyes were locked with hers, and all he could hear was his blood in his ears, the gash over his eye was maddeningly painful now, and his vision in his left eye was marred by a red film of blood.

Finally he was able to catch her ankle with a fiery whip. Her back hit the ground with a thud and he quickly jumped on her. He placed his knee on her throat and leaned most of his weight on it. When her eyes rolled to the back of her head and he took his knee off her he realized he never planned to kill her. Zuko looked up, trying to relocated Lu Ten.

He was still fighting the same swordsman and he looked to be in more trouble than he had before. Zuko raced towards them, just as the swordsman's arm plunged through the plates of Lu Ten's armor. In the future, Zuko will wish everything had happened in slow motion, that he might be able to tell Toph what really happened. But it happens so quickly, so horribly fast, that he can't even remember because he's so consumed with murderous rage for this warrior who just killed his cousin.

Lu Ten was sprawled in a heap on the ground by the time Zuko finally manages to jam his fist square in the man's nose. The Water Tribe warrior hits the ground hard and Zuko is on him. He wails on him until the man's face is bloodied and appears to be passed out. He was going to kill him if it wasn't for the bloodied hand that grabbed his fist.

"Zuko, stop," a voice says. Startled, Zuko whirls to see Lu Ten looking up at him from the ground. "Get out of here."

"What?"

"Get my men out of here, Zuko. You're in charge now." His breathing was labored, and it was hard to understand him because there was so much blood in his mouth.

"I _said_," he rasped. "Get the fuck out of here." He raised his arm and pulled Zuko close by the neck. "Tell Toph that she's free now."

Zuko shook his head as he listened to the fading breaths of his cousin who, let's be honest, was more of a brother to him than anything else. Eventually Lu Ten's hand fell away from Zuko's neck—limp from death. His eyes were unmoving, and his mouth hung open, warm blood still pouring forth.

Zuko doesn't remember how he managed to get back on the ship. He doesn't remember how he got everyone to retreat so quickly. And he certainly doesn't remember how he got managed to carry his dead cousin through all the chaos.

That night, Lu Ten's body was moved to another Fire Navy ship to be sent to the Fire Nation capitol for a proper ceremony. Zuko and his men solemnly and quite dejectedly made their return trip to Gaoling where Zuko would have to tell Toph. The girl he had planned to never see again.

**The Rise Part VII: Katara**

The Avatar sprung awake, his eyes wide and his chest heaving. There was a thin layer of sweat covering the young man's forehead. Katara was startled—he was very rarely awake. After so many years of being subjected by heavy sedatives most of the Avatars days were spent soundly asleep.

"It's done," his voice was hoarse.

Katara rushed to his side. "What? What's done?"

"The battle at the Southern Water Tribe."

Katara's blood ran cold. "What?" her voice was ice.

The Avatar continued as if she hadn't spoken. "They've killed him." He began to settle himself back under the covers.

"Aang," she shook him. "Who was killed?" She was frantic.

"The heir," he replied, tiredly. "The prince of the Fire Nation." And he was asleep again.


	17. Metal

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: City of Ember, "Redemption" by Non-Stop Music  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

_Chapter 16_

Two weeks after Lu Ten's death—

Zuko was the first one off the ship when it docked into the relatively sleepy Gaoling port. It was early, but not so early that the sun wasn't up. Zuko hadn't even stopped for his morning breathing exercises. Sullen soldiers shuffled behind him, they were happy, however, to be home. The battle at the Southern Water Tribe had been an obvious disaster and everyone's spirits were low.

In the past three days, sleep never came to Zuko. His cousin had just died, as well as many of his friends. He should be exhausted but Toph's face kept him awake, kept him from thinking too much. He was haunted by how she would take the news when he told her. It could be no one else, it had to be him. She had to hear it from him. But would she cry? He had a hard time imagining it. She's only cried once in front of him, in her little dojo and they had never spoken about it. She would probably bottle it up, she would go all numb.

And that was what scared him the most. He knew what he had to do if she started crying, he had no idea what to do if she just decided to shut down.

A Fire Nation soldier approached him and handed him the reigns to a komodo-rhino. Zuko nodded in appreciation before setting off towards the closest Tunnel entrance. He figured that was the best place to go—let Toph find him, rather than find her himself. It wouldn't take long, she knew what happened in her city more than anyone else.

Once he found a Tunnel entrance he dismounted the komodo-rhino and clambered down into the florescent light. For a moment he leaned against the wall and breathed deeply as he rubbed his face. Sweat had begun to form under his eyes, it wasn't even warm out. Winter was on its way in Gaoling and the mornings were quite chilly. After a moment of just standing there Zuko picked his head up and continued toward the heart of the city.

How was he going to tell her? He doesn't even remember most of it, it had happened so quickly. He remembers Lu Ten falling, he remembered beating the Water Tribe warrior bloody. He doesn't even remember what Lu Ten had said to him. Or maybe he didn't say anything at all.

"Zuko!"

He jumped, half settling into a fighting stance before realizing that his sister was hurtling towards him. She swung her arms around his neck, embracing him tightly. It was strange to think that he hadn't seen Azula for a month—he missed her more than he thought he ever would.

"Hey, Azula," he rasped, not accustomed to using his voice in the last couple of weeks. He brought his hand up to cradle her head. He thought about how life was when Azula was a newborn child. Of course, he had been quite small as well, but occasionally Mother would let him hold his baby sister. A nine year old Lu Ten would hold her too. Something gripped at his throat making it impossible to breathe. He fought it and finally heaved in a breath, his eyes watering.

"Zuko? What's wrong?" Azula pulled back. She put a hand on his head, combing his hair back.

"Where's Toph?" he asked, totally giving up on his plan to let her find him. She arched an eyebrow at him, in confusion. "_I need to find her_," he stressed, pulling himself back together. He realized that he had begun to sweat again.

Azula paused, "She's at the . . . wait," she stopped, her calculating nature finally kicking in. "Why are you here? After conquering the Water Tribe you were supposed to stay there for at least another month."

"We miscalculated. We were outnumbered. Azula, Lu—" he swallowed thickly. "Lu Ten was killed."

Her eyes widened, and they started to water, the lights of the Tunnel leaving a horrible shadow over her face. "No."

"His body is already more than halfway to the Fire Nation for a proper ceremony." His voice felt mechanical. He had been practicing the words in his head for the last two weeks and they felt dead. Just like Lu Ten.

"Azula, I need to tell Toph," he prompted her.

"She's in the dojo," she said breathlessly her eyes glazed over.

"Alright, go tell Mom and Dad. Start packing your things to go home. I'll make sure Toph gets back safe." Without waiting for a reply Zuko left her standing dumbstruck against the wall.

Before he even made it up to Toph's dojo, a slab of the earth opened like a door into the darkness. _I guess she saw me coming_, he said to himself. His stomach clenched as he made his way towards it and lit a fire in his palm. He saw Yoshi and Amo doing drills at the far end of the dojo, but Toph walked right up to him. She was smiling, she was glowing. He loved her so much. Her hair looked longer, or maybe it was just because she was wearing it down. She usually didn't do that. He couldn't decide if he liked it or not.

"So you made it out alive," she snorted, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yeah, I did."

She snorted again. "Yeah, I guess I'd be shocked too," she said misinterpreting his stilted words for astonishment. She tilted her head towards him, her nose was scrunched almost distastefully but she was still smiling. "I'm glad you didn't die though, that definitely would have ruined Azula's day."

"Toph," he said quickly, reaching into the folds of his light tunic. He pulled out something gold, something shiny, and placed it in her hand.

She frowned, her fingers working over the metal, trying to identify it. "Lu Ten's headpiece? Why would you . . . Zuko what . . ." She turned her head about the room, as if she had her sight. Seeing her so lost was unsettling. "Amo! Yoshi! Go home."

"Is the lesson over?" Amo asked.

"Yes," she replied curtly. "Leave." Her nostrils were flaring, and the boys were out of the dojo within a few seconds. She fiddled with the headpiece, biting her lip. "Is he . . ." she cleared her throat. "Um, why do you have this?" Her question ended on a little nervous giggle.

Zuko didn't say anything. He just let the flame in his hand go out, shrouding them in darkness. He took a step closer to where he knew she was.

"Is he here?" she asked weakly. She was getting it.

He took another step and she yelped when he stepped on her toe. Before she could react, he pulled her in close. He wasn't sure why he thought he had to, it just felt safer—safer for him to hug her. He could feel his cousin's headpiece dig into his stomach where her hands were trapped. "Toph, he's dead," he whispered into her hair.

She stiffened in his arms but she didn't try to pull away. "If this is a joke, kudos to you for trying to find a sense of humor, but I hope you realize this is a really, _really_ sick sense of humor."

"I know you can tell if someone is lying, Toph." He found her hand, and brought it up to his heart. "Am I lying?"

And that was when she began to cry into his chest, cradling Lu Ten's headpiece in her hands. He really wished he was lying to her. He wished that Lu Ten hadn't died. He wished that she loved him instead of his cousin. And that was selfish, but it was the truth. He wished he could kiss her like Lu Ten was able to. He wished he could hold her like this every day, even if she was crying.

Eventually he heard a dull thud and felt her arms wrap around his torso tightly. She must have dropped the headpiece. She was shaking now, silent but violent—he tried to hold her still. "Toph," he mumbled, stroking her hair gently.

She hit him hard on the back with her fist to get him to shut up. He just barely refrained from rolling his eyes at her, not that she would notice anyway. Once her shaking began to slow again, she shifted her head so that her ear was resting on his heart. She mumbled something that he couldn't quite hear.

He tucked his head closer to hers. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Toph cleared her throat, and pushed some hair out of her face. "What do I do now?" The question ended on a sob.

He was grasping at strings. "I don't know, Toph."

"Where . . . Where is he?"

"His body?"

She nodded, pulling away from him. He immediately missed her warmth.

"We're going to have a ceremony for him at the Fire Nation capital," he said watching her as she knelt down to pick up the headpiece she had dropped. "Should happen a little over a week from now, depending on how fast my family gets there."

She wiped at her face. "You're all leaving?"

"As soon as possible."

She nodded, her fingers clutching tightly to the headpiece. She was quiet for a long time and he just waited for her to collect herself. He knew what she was about to ask, and he was going to give her time to ask it.

"Zuko?"

"Yeah?"

"Am I allowed to come too?" She was trying not to cry again. Her voice was quaking.

"Of course, Toph. My uncle wouldn't have it any other way. Let's go pack your stuff."

She nodded and followed him out of the dojo, her face dry but flushed. She had stopped crying, and whether Zuko knew it or not, he would never see her cry again.

_Later that day_

Toph decided that she could get used to the lull of a ship. Not that they made her any less seasick—she had thrown up so much that she had nothing left in her stomach to toss into the churning sea. She would have to settle for dry heaving for now. No, she wasn't any more comfortable on a piece of metal she couldn't "see", she wasn't any more comfortable with the fact that the last time she had been on a ship was with Lu Ten for fun. The sea sickness was just the most effective distraction she had at her disposal at the moment and that was the most comfort she found in this shitty situation.

Her eyes ached and her throat throbbed from the bile. She honestly didn't want to be around anyone, she didn't want to go to Lu Ten's funeral ceremony. She really didn't. It would be nice though to see—well of course, she couldn't see—the Fire Nation. Where all his passion came from. Where he grew up. What all the fuss was about. Toph had long been convinced that Lu Ten loved his home even more than he loved her. And perhaps she loved Gaoling more than she loved him, in return. It still didn't change the fact that they loved each other _enough_.

It was enough to hurt. Enough to compel her to step off her precious earth and on to a hulking piece of metal that she honestly had no faith in. Enough to make her cry in front of Zuko. He had smelt just like Lu Ten when he hugged her and that had made her cry even harder. He smelled like smoke. He had stolen Lu Ten's smell and he had rubbed it in her face. Literally!

After they had left her dojo, Zuko wouldn't leave her alone. He stood in her doorway as she monotonously ordered Hashi to pack a few weeks' worth of things for her trip. His stolen Lu Ten smell would waft her direction every once and a while and it would make her throat tighten a little. At least he didn't try to talk to her. He did most of the talking with her parents though.

She had hugged them before she boarded the ship—they wouldn't be coming with her and the rest of Zuko's family. Someone had to govern Gaoling after all.

It was an hour into their journey when Zuko finally spoke to her again. She was grateful his voice sounded nothing like Lu Ten's. "Are feeling okay?"

Toph gaped at him. What kind of question was that?!

He seemed to have noticed his error. "Uh, I meant with the sea sickness," he backtracked, awkwardly.

She turned away from him, feeling the ocean mist spray on her cheek. It was calming. "There's nothing left to throw up," she muttered sardonically. "So I'm good."

"Good," he responded.

"How long until we get there?" she asked, in a weak attempt at conversation.

"About a week and a half."

"Spirits help me," she offered up in a genuine prayer. He placed a hand on her shoulder lightly. "You keep doing that," she commented.

"What?" he said startled.

She couldn't help but smirk a little. "Touching me, Princess," she clarified.

"Oh." He snatched his hand away, quickly. "I hadn't realized, sor—"

"Don't be," she cut him off. "We're friends, it's cool."

They were lulled into a quiet moment. "So you can't _see_ very well on this thing can you?" Zuko ventured knocking on the metal railing with his knuckles.

The ship lurched and toph clamped her mouth shut in an effort to stop the heaving. "Nope," she answered sullenly. "But it's worth it," she groaned leaning her forehead against the cool metal.

"That's too bad. Metal is made from earth, you know?" Toph was silent, but talking about her element seemed to calm her so Zuko kept talking. "It's earth without the impurities."

Toph scoffed. "What could be more pure than earth?"

Zuko's lip quirked up in a smirk at her arrogance. He leaned close to her and whispered conspiratorially, "All I'm trying to say is that metal is a form of earth. You just have to learn how to bend it."

She raised her head, her lips were pursed. "Run that by me one more time, Princess."

Zuko bristled at the nickname. "I'm telling you to learn how to bend metal."

"Telling?" she quipped quickly. "Are you ordering me or something?"

"Challenging you. Do you accept?" He already knew that she had accepted because she had already started rapping her knuckles against the metal trying to _see_ the earth.

"I thought you were against the whole earthbending thing," she mused.

"I am," he answered cooly. "But we're friends. It's cool."

Toph shook her head when she recognized her own words. She punched him roughly in the arm. "I guess I accept."

After that first day, Toph spent most of her time locked away in her room. She had some ginger to help with the sea sickness but other than that she didn't eat very much. She passed the day away knocking against the metal walls. Sometimes she kicked it, sometimes she used her fist, other times she used her forehead. She was grateful for something to do, something to think about.

Something other than Lu Ten.

When her thoughts wandered to him she started to beat the wall even harder. Her pinky on her right hand was definitely broken but she didn't care. She just pushed it back in place and started using her left hand. She cried every night, but she was quiet and she fell asleep quickly so no one ever knew. Zuko visited once or twice and they talked about earthbending or his favorite things about the Fire Nation. He didn't stay very long.

Azula never visited her, but she was okay with that. Her cousin just died, she needed space. _My fiancé died_, Toph thought. _I need more damn space than she does._

One morning Toph did it. She could see. She ran out of the room in search of Zuko. She could see the whole anatomy of the ship as her bare feet pounded against the floor. She found him on the deck practicing fire bending. She had never "watched" him bend before, she always forgot that he could. But he was good, she noticed. Zuko was good like Lu Ten. It made her sad instantly and she wanted to go back to her room so she could cry again but Zuko had seen her and he called out to her.

She reeled it all in, sucked in a deep breath and walked towards him. "I did it."

"Did what?"

Toph smirked and stepped closer to him and she felt his heartbeat spike. "Why does your heartbeat speed up when I get close to you?" It spiked again.

"Oh," he said, a little awkwardly. "You can see."

"Yup," she said stepping away.

"About time. We'll be docking in half an hour."

She felt her heart sink. She wasn't ready for this.

O.0.O.0.O

Fire Lord Iroh met them at the docks. "Where is Miss Bei Fong?" Was the first thing he said.

Ozai who had been standing in front of Toph turned to the side to let her pass. He placed his hand on her back gently, which she wasn't used to but she took the gesture as surrender. Or at least a vacation from their constant battles.

Iroh reached out for Toph. "My dear," he murmured heavily as he pulled her into a giant bear hug. "There aren't any words, no words at all. This is just . . ." he trailed off. She could tell that he too was grief stricken.

"I hate it," she mumbled so quietly that even she had trouble hearing herself.

Iroh let her go and he turned to the rest of his family. "Come. Everyone should wash up. The ceremony begins this evening at sundown.

Azula caught Toph's elbow. "I'll show you around."

Toph shook her head. "I just want to take a bath." _And sleep for a thousand years_.

"Okay, we can take a tour later. Whenever you want."

"Thanks."

After she had washed up, everything was hazy for Toph. Some women dressed her in white, or at least that's what they told her. They told her it was Fire Nation custom to wear white to a funeral. He would be cremated at sundown. She cried a little but the women wiped her tears away silently and didn't say a word.

There was a private viewing of the body. Each family member one at a time were let into an extravagantly decorated room and given a few minutes alone with the dead prince. Toph was last to go in, since she technically wasn't quite family. She was half glad, half frustrated that she wouldn't be able to see him—that she had never seen him. Not once.

The casket was placed in the very middle of the room. It was massive, and it was probably filled with all sorts of flammable cushions. She held out her hand and took hold of the edge of the open casket. With a shaky arm she reached inside, her hand brushed against his chest and sobs started to rack her body.

"I miss you," she choked. "You were going to marry me." Her hand traveled to his neck where she felt no heartbeat. Of course she didn't. "I'm _so mad_ at you right now, but guess what. I can metal bend now, Zuko gave me the idea. I guess he becomes the crowned prince now, huh. That's weird. I never saw him as the Fire Lord. Lu ten," she sniffled heavily, her breath shaky. "I love you, I miss you. Please, don't . . . don't leave me."

Her fingers trailed along his lips, remembering the last time she had kissed him. The last time he had murmured that she was his wife. All those times he had been so warm, now he was cold. And he was gone.

O.0.O.0.O

At sundown Toph was flanked by both Zuko and Azula. A fire Sage began listing off every family member of Lu Ten's and he spoke of how dearly he would be missed. Toph almost jumped when she was mentioned as the "beloved Toph". She hadn't been expecting it.

The ceremony was short, the casket was lit aflame. Even though she couldn't see a thing, she could feel the heat on her face and for a moment it felt like Lu Ten was there standing in front of her, bruising her lips with hot, smoky kisses. She discovered that she was having trouble breathing.

Lu Ten was her first love. The happiness he brought her greatly outweighed all the heartache. He empowered her; he encouraged her to remain exactly the way she was. He never tried to change her. And now, his body burning not twenty feet in front of her, her heart was breaking. Silently she swore to herself that she was done. She would never love again. Her prince was dead—how could she?

Toph felt a hand slip over the back of her neck—she knew it was Zuko's and she was going to shrug him off but then his thumb started to brush along her hairline so instead she decided she liked the feeling. She got her breath back and Azula took her hand and squeezed. She could hear her crying next to her. The tears weren't coming for Toph, and neither was the air. She was still having trouble breathing.

"Zuko?" she whispered breathlessly and so quietly that only he could hear over the roar of the massive bonfire in front of them. Her voice felt hoarse and she was trying not to choke on the air.

"What?"

"Can you show me around the city tonight?"

Zuko paused. "You don't want Azula to do it?"

"If I go with Azula she'll make me cry. I want to go alone, I don't want any escorts, I just want to see the city like everyone else does." Plus his hand still felt really nice on her neck and she really need to get out of the palace, like right now. Like, five minutes ago.

"Alright," he said. "I'll take you to the best places."

"Bars?" she asked hopefully.

He snorted louder than he meant to. She heard him shoot a quick apology to his disapproving mother before turning back to her. "Yeah. Bars. I'll get you hammered."

"I'm glad we're friends," she sighed gratefully before her lungs attacked her once more.

A/N: It's been awhile since my last update and I apologize. This chapter was actually a lot easier for me to write than I thought it would be. I tried to make it longer than my other chapters and I'm going to try to do the same to the rest of the chapters to come. I hope you all liked the slightly dark, but still cute Toko interactions I slipped in here. The Toko feels are definitely going to get a lot stronger from here on out. How did you guys think about Toph getting the idea to metal bend from Zuko? I figured he would make the connection since he's a pretty intelligent guy.

Please tell me what you thought about the chapter in a review!

I hope I can get the next chapter out soonish. You'll basically love what's coming.


	18. Somewhat Festive

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: City of Ember, "Redemption" by Non-Stop Music  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

_Chapter 17_

"So how do we sneak out of this place?"

Zuko chuckled, "Come on."

It was late. They had waited before everyone had gone to bed. The entire royal family had gone their separate ways after the ceremony, for which Toph was grateful, but it made it hard to know when everyone was asleep. Eventually Zuko had come for her. He was dressed casually—she could tell because she couldn't hear the slight clings and clangs of the decorative armor Zuko usually wore. She had changed into a light kimono. It was _really hot_ in the Fire Nation.

"When was the last time you've snuck out anyway?" She refrained from rubbing her burning eyes. Even though she couldn't bring herself to cry during the ceremony she most certainly did in the privacy of her own room. Unfortunately, Zuko was perfectly aware of how red her eyes were while Toph was completely oblivious. In a way, ignorance truly was bliss in this situation.

"It's been awhile," he answered in a hushed tone.

"So you're rusty." It wasn't even a question.

"Listen, I know what I'm doing, brat."

"Excuse me?!"

"Keep your voice down," he hushed. She could hear a smile in his voice though. She wondered how he found it so easy to smile, to laugh, after what he had been through. She knew Zuko had seen him die. She wished she could've seen, just to _know_. Know something of his last moments.

"You definitely did not just call me a brat, because if you had my foot would be in your face right now!" She threatened.

"Just shut up or I won't take you to any bars."

Toph shut up. They crept through the palace in silence—every once in a while Toph would sense someone about to turn a corner and she would tug him down another corridor until whoever it was had passed. Eventually, they found themselves outside of the palace, and they started making their way towards the city.

"You can talk now," Zuko prompted.

"Glad to have your permission, Princess."

"Don't call me—"

"What happens if we get caught?" she interrupted.

Zuko shrugged. "We get an escort, or I could just knock them out?"

"Or _I_ could knock them out."

"Yeah let's not get caught," he said decidedly.

"What? Don't think I could handle it?" Toph inquired, crossing her arms over her chest.

Zuko laughed. "No. I'm just genuinely worried about the wellbeing of whoever might catch us."

Toph pulled her lips back in a toothy grin. "So," she said. "Tell me something about the Fire Nation."

"Like what?"

Toph threw her head back in exasperation. "_I don't know!_ You are the tour guide. Tell me something I wouldn't know."

"Do you know anything about the food here?" he asked after a moment of deliberation. When she shook her head he continued. "It's the best. When the Fire Nation was just a modest little kingdom people from all over the world would travel here just to taste the food."

Toph scrunched up her nose. "The food didn't seem that great during dinner."

Zuko scoffed as if he were genuinely offended. "That's _not_ Fire Nation food. You have to go into the city to get the real stuff."

"Well what's it like?"

"Hot and spicy."

"Figures. I want some."

Zuko chucked her in the jaw softly. "Don't worry. I'm giving you the full experience."

She punched him back but harder and in the arm. It would bruise.

O.0.O.0.O

They finally got through the palace walls without a problem. It took them another half an hour of trudging their way through farmland before they reached the edge of the city. Toph felt around, taking in her surroudings. "There are a lot of people out. Are they going to recognize you?"

Zuko was quiet for a moment. "In the Southern Water Tribe," he began slowly. "I got cut up pretty bad. A spear snagged me in the face so there's a nasty gash. It's still pretty fresh, it's probably going to scar. Not many people know about it yet so I'm guessing that people will have a better time at recognizing you than they will of me."

Toph wondered briefly what it was like in the South Pole. It must have been insanely chaotic. Lu Ten must not have seen it coming. Alarms started going off in her head when she started to think about her dead fiancé. She needed to stop thinking about him _now._

"Well, is it a pretty sick scar?" she asked.

"Yeah, probably won't find any dates anytime soon," he replied.

"I don't know about that. Some girls like battle wounds."

"Girls like you?" Zuko snorted, bumping into her shoulder softly.

"Why should I care about something I can't even see?" She asked genuinely. At that point he tugged her into a cramped building and spicy aromas immediately began to wreak havoc on her nose. "Whoa, the air is even spicy," she commented quietly. She fought the urge to sneeze.

They sat at a table in the back so they couldn't be as easily noticed or recognized. Eventually a squat but gentle looking woman approached their table to take their orders. Toph let Zuko do all the talking and she liked the sound of each course fall from his mouth. She liked how confident he sounded—he was in his element. Usually it was her that was so confident. Right now she was acting, and Zuko knew it too. She was teetering on a very fine line. She hoped she wouldn't go insane. Leaning back in her chair she waited until he was done and the woman was gone. "You know what you want."

Zuko shrugged. "This is my favorite place. I haven't been here in years though."

"So what did you get me?" She questioned curiously.

"Just wait. I can't just explain it in words."

Toph started guessing, listing off a bunch of different kind of foods, trying to get an answer out of him. Zuko just shook his head in amusement and remained completely silent. He even lifted his feet off from the floor so that she couldn't tell if a particular dish she listed caught his attention. When she realized what he was doing she huffed in frustration. "You're no fun." She crossed her arms over her chest and fell silent. Her focus zeroed in on his breathing for a moment. It was just as calm as any mans—so calm that she might have thought he was asleep.

The woman came back and began piling plate upon plate onto their table. She had to make a couple trips.

The smell wafted up into Toph's nose and she breathed in deep as she tried to identify it. Even though she had heard Zuko order it she hadn't been able to recognize the dishes. The names were so obscure—how could she know? Whatever it was the smell was absolutely mouthwatering. She couldn't wait to dig in.

"It's mostly meat," Zuko started to explain once the woman had finished loading their table.

Toph brought her hands carefully up to the table and felt for the closest plate, once her fingers brushed against the warm glass she tilted her head in Zuko's direction. "Is this one meat?"

"Yeah."

"Perfect."

They started eating and Toph had to admit that Zuko was right. The food was delicious. So incredibly spicy that she actually started to sweat from all the heat. Even after half of the food that had been placed on their table was gone, Toph still couldn't compare what she was eating to anything she had had before.

Multiple times, Toph found herself imagining herself at the very same restaurant but with Lu Ten instead of Zuko. She imagined him holding her hand across the table while he ordered the food, or perhaps while they waited for it to be cooked. His thumb would stroke the little patch of skin between her thumb and index finger. He would tell her stories about spending most of his childhood in his home country and how much he loved it. She would bump her knees against his just to distract him, and she'd probably kick him a few times so that he would kiss her from across the table.

She sniffled causing Zuko to glance up from his food and frown. He knew she was thinking about him. "How do you like it?" he asked.

"Oh," she said looking up. "It's really good. There's so much flavor!"

He sent her a small smile even though she wouldn't see it. "That's why I like it."

She nodded, chewing slowly. It was funny to see her chew her food so delicately. Back in Gaoling she would deliberately chew with her mouth open, speak with food in her mouth, just to get a rise out of her parents and Ozai.

"Did Lu Ten ever come here?" she asked quietly and out of the blue.

"No," Zuko replied much quicker and much calmer than either of them expected him to. "At least, never with me. He might've come here, but I've always thought of it as my place."

"Does anyone else know about it?"

"My father," he said slowly, carefully. "He used to take me here when I was young whenever he wanted to get out of the palace. Way before Gaoling."

Toph was surprised. She tried to imagine Ozai sitting with Zuko at the same table eating lunch together. Even now, the two men barely speak to each other. "What made him stop coming?"

Zuko thought for a moment. "I'd say after my grandfather died. I think Grandfather Azulon must have taken my father here too. There are probably too many memories here than my father can handle, you know?"

Toph smiled sadly. "It's a nice family tradition to have. Thank you for bringing me here even though I'm not a part of the family."

"Don't be stupid," Zuko said, his voice no longer fogged up by buried memories. His voice was clear, and biting. He had just about snapped at her. "How can you think that?"

"Think what?" She raised her eyebrows, surprised at how . . . _angry_ he sounded.

"How can you think that you're not family?" he was practically shouting.

"I just—"

"No!" He cleared his throat, and managed to bring his voice down. They were starting to get some stares. "Why do you think they even mentioned you in the ceremony tonight?"

She remained quiet as she remembered her name getting called. "Prince Lu Ten, betrothed to the beloved Toph Bei Fong," the Fire Sages had said.

"In Fire Nation custom—especially for the royal family—only those that belong to the family of the deceased are mentioned."

"But legally—"

"Fucking—Since when have you cared about the law? I mean, I know you probably think my whole family is pretty heartless just because we're royalty but that's just not true at all. My family loves you, and even my father was looking forward to calling you Fire Lady."

Toph was sitting ram rod straight, her shoulders tense and her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Zuko's words hit her like a brick wall because the whole time she could tell that what he was saying was the truth.

"Oh," she breathed.

"So don't _ever_ feel unwelcome here. You're cut from the same cloth."

"Thanks," she muttered, her face tilted down slightly ashamed. "I'm . . . I'm sorry."

Forgetting that she couldn't see it, Zuko nodded. "You done eating? Let's go get a drink."

"Agni, yes," she moaned gratefully. She quickly stood from her seat trying to shake off the awkward feelings Zuko's outburst had left behind. Zuko threw a generous amount of money on the table and walked out, Toph following closely behind.

They walked in a semi-comfortable silence. The streets were surprisingly full of activity as they traveled further and further into the heart of the city. Somber chatter reached Toph ears and pleasant aromas like she had smelled in the restaurant bombarded her nose. There were street performers everywhere showing off their skills to children and adults alike.

"It feels so festive," she commented. "Is it like this every night?"

"No. This only happens when someone the people love has died. They have parades, poetry readings, dances, circus acts—all out of respect." He explained calmly. "The people loved my cousin very much."

Toph slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. "I like it. The parades—the celebration." She said after a moment. "In the Earth Kingdom, the people just cry, and cry. It's all just so emotionally draining."

Zuko tried to focus on her words but he was a little distracted by her strong fingers holding on to his arm. She would hold onto Lu Ten like this sometimes—whenever he saw them walking in the gardens on the Bei Fong estate. Tophs hand slipped almost demurely under his arm, and his head ducked down to accommodate for the height difference. It had always made Zuko jealous, but now here he was—exactly where Lu Ten should be. And he didn't feel nearly as guilty as he probably should have. He placed his hand over top hers just for a moment and said, "It's okay to cry over someone you're going to miss, Toph."

Her hand tightened around his arm but at least she didn't pull away. "Zuko, I want to know what happened. Nobody's told me how—I just . . . I want to know how he died." She bit down on her lip for a moment and she had stopped walking, pulling him to a sudden halt in the middle of the midnight crowd. "I'm entitled to know what happened, right?"

Her nose was red and there was sweat on her brow from the humid night air. Her dark hair hung down in frizzy waves past her shoulders. She was pretty—very pretty—but Zuko liked her better back in Gaoling. He liked how she looked in her little dojo when she taught Amo and Yoshi earthbending. But she was still so pretty, even under the wide Fire Nation sky, even in the bright candlelight. He didn't think there was ever a time when he wanted to kiss her more than he did right in that moment.

"Zuko? Will you tell me? You were there, I just want to know."

Zuko blinked coming back to her. "Yeah, I'll tell you. But I _really _need that drink first."

O.0.O.0.O

Zuko ordered some Fire Whiskey for the both of them. "Keep 'em coming," he said confidently to bartender, taking a seat on one of the rickety stools. Toph sat to his right, she was only about three feet away from the wall where a print of Prince Lu Ten was hanging. They were actually hanging all around the bar—thankfully Toph was oblivious to them. Zuko just stared and stared, sending up a silent prayer.

_Oh, help me, Lu Ten. _

When Zuko finally looked over at Toph he noticed that she was already half way done with her tall mug of Fire Whiskey. "We hardly had the element of surprise on our side. We had planned the attack during the day since that is when they would be at their weakest. But I think it was the black snow that ruined us."

"Black snow? What's that?"

"It's just like regular snow. Except the smoke from our ship changed its color. It gave the Southern Water Tribe at least ten minutes to organize themselves before we even got to land. I honestly don't remember much," he said scratching his head. "I don't even remember getting off the ship, I just remember the fighting. They outnumbered us, I think. There were so many of them—we were overwhelmed."

"Were they all waterbenders?" she asked when he grew silent for too long.

"Maybe half of them. But the other half were warriors. There was even a woman."

"A woman? Really?"

"At least one. She—she stopped me from reaching Lu Ten who was having trouble with some bastard with a sword. I couldn't bring myself to kill her, I should've—it would have been quicker. . . Anyway, I knocked her out and I started running towards Lu Ten but that's when the bastard ran him through with his sword."

"Stop," Toph hissed. She finished her whiskey and started on her second which the bartender had set down just a moment before. "I . . . don't want to hear anymore."

"Sorry," he offered.

"No," she said shaking her head, almost violently. "Thank you for telling me. Everyone has been walking on eggshells with me, except you. I'm grateful."

"There's one more thing I think you should know," he ventured with his head tilted down. He rested his temple against his fist. When Toph didn't protest he continued to speak. "Lu Ten tried to tell me some things before he died. There was something I was supposed to tell you but I honestly can't remember. I was too consumed with anger towards that water tribe soldier. I beat him up pretty bad—I might've killed him . . . Anyway I wish I could have remembered to tell you."

Toph was rolling her bottom lip under her teeth, "I think I have an idea of what he might've said." She crossed her arms on the bar and rested her chin on top of them. Her parents would have scolded her for her horrid posture. "Thank you for 'maybe' killing that guy. Maybe that's horrible of me to say but I'm still glad for it."

Zuko didn't say anything because it was a horrible thing for her to say, even if he was glad he might've killed him too. He merely placed his hand on the back of her neck, like he had done earlier that night at the ceremony. She really liked his hand there; she liked the feel of his hardened finger pads brushing minutely up and down her neck.

"What did you mean earlier when you said that even your father wanted me to be Fire Lady? Why would he want that?" She always thought he hated her.

Zuko shrugged. "Well he wasn't jumping up and down for you out of excitement but he respects you. He sees a leader's spirit in you, I guess. We all do. I think you would've been perfect."

"I didn't want to be Fire Lady," she shook her head as if she was going to be sick. "Lu Ten and I would fight about it every day." Her speech had become slow, and loose since she had just finished her second mug of fire whiskey. "All the time—we would just threaten each other."

"Didn't you know all that when you said yes to him?"

"What?"

"Didn't you know what you were getting yourself into when you accepted his proposal?" The Fire Whiskey was starting to get to him as well. He felt flushed, and a little hotter than normal.

"Oh," Toph muttered offhandedly. "Love makes people stupid. I think we were both swept away—we just didn't think about what it would all mean for us. I very much wanted to marry him, I still do."

Zuko was gazing at her steadily, he was staring at her mouth but this time it wasn't because he wanted to kiss her—not necessarily. She had never in his life spoken to him as much as she had in the past couple of hours. He didn't want it to end. "I like it when you talk to me," he slurred slightly. He remembered that his hand was on her neck. He couldn't even recall putting it there. His thumb and index finger had disappeared under her hair line. She was a little sweaty but he didn't mind it at all. He restrained himself from leaning towards her. She was just so magnetizing.

"I'm sorry I was never very nice to you, Zuko. I could've talked your ear off if we had become friends sooner."

Zuko snorted suddenly. "We would have made quite the pair. The girl without eyes and the man without ears."

Toph giggled before an alcohol induced hiccup interrupted it. "Yeah that would be kinda cool."

"Excuse me," an old man sad. He had a thick gray beard that fanned out away from his face like he had been shocked by lightening. "I know who you are," he whispered, his hands were raised slightly, innocently.

Zuko pulled his hand quickly from Toph's neck and she immediately felt heavier. It was as if he was holding her up. "You must be mistaken," Zuko said coolly. "I'm afraid I don't recognize you."

"Yes, yes. I was in Gaoling a couple months ago visiting my daughter and her family. I remember you," his voice was still hushed and he was gazing pointedly at Toph. "Lady Bei Fong—"

"Keep your voice down!" Zuko hissed, though he really didn't need to. Toph could barely hear the old man anyway. Toph placed her hand on Zuko's arm and shook her head.

"Yes, that's me."

The old man reached out kindly and grasped her hands in his. "I am _so_ sorry for your loss, My Lady. My wife—she was so looking forward to a royal wedding. It's been years."

"Thank you," Toph said quietly. The man had pulled her forward across the bar in front of Zuko. Her arm was brushing against his stomach and she wanted a hug. She wanted to be held. The old man pressed his lips to her fingers, where she felt a few tear drops fall, before leaving them. "Zuko, I'm tired."

"Are you ready to go home?"

The palace wasn't home for her but she nodded anyway. "Yeah."

O.0.O.0.O

Zuko led her all the way to her room. It was quite late—the sun would break over the horizon in just an hour or so. Before he had the chance to walk away, Toph took his hand in hers. She squeezed it. "Thank you, Zuko."

Then she slipped out of his grasp and into her room.

A/N: I'm really happy about this chapter. I pretty much forced myself to make them talk to each other. I also tried to get this chapter out faster than I have been for previous chapters. I'm really tired, I have no idea what I'm trying to say here. Lol enjoy.


	19. Don't Be Bitter

**Title:** Growing up Normal  
**Author:** DarkHairedVeela  
**Summary:** What would become of Prince Zuko if there was no Avatar? What would become of Toph if Gaoling was conquered before she could runaway? They would grow up normal. But of course that was an understatement. AU  
**Inspiration**: Punching in a Dream by The Naked and Famous  
**Warnings:** Language  
**Pairings:** Toko (Toph/Zuko)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor the characters.

_**Chapter 18**_

Fire Lord Iroh spent most of the next day briefing the members of his family separately in his heavily furnished, and exquisitely cushioned office. Everyone was told something slightly different from the others. As a whole everyone was informed of the halted expansion of the Empire. They were also told that the royal family was not to visit Gaoling for some time.

"The Bei Fong family has suffered enough, brother," he placated a startled Ozai. "Give them peace. Think of poor Toph—so young. She would be haunted by our presence."

Though reluctant Ozai could not help but agree with his older brothers reasoning. It was all a rather heart breaking ordeal. Together they discussed the possibility of sending and ambassador to Gaoling to speak for the capitol. They also discussed Zuko's immediate role as the crowned prince to the Empire.

When the fire Lord spoke with Zuko the young man wasn't entirely surprised. "It's strange though," he had said, fighting the burning sensation behind his eyes. He closed them to the bring sunlight that streamed through the open balcony.

"What is?"

"It wasn't supposed to be me, Uncle." His voice was shaking. "I'm not ready for this. It was supposed to be him."

Iroh tried not to weep along with the heavily burdened young man.

Toph was the last to enter his office. Most of the afternoon sun had disappeared under the vast ocean that surrounded the volcanic island. IT made Iroh tired. And to have this conversation he'd rather not be tired.

Iroh had enjoyed Toph's presence since the moment he had met her in Gaoling. Though he saw her very briefly and and far between. Not much about her had changed in the last year or so. Though she seemed a couple inches taller. When she entered his office she walked slowly towards him and his plush cushion. It was quite different from her normally purposeful stride. Her lips were pursed tight much like her father; and sudden sounds seemed to startle her. She was obviously devastated, but then again she was well within her rights to be so.

Once Toph had taken her seat across from Iroh he began to speak. "My dear, I fear that you have more reason than ever to be angry with me."

"What? I've never been angry with you," she lied.

Iroh smiled sadly and chose to ignore her comment. "For all accounts, I am truly repentant." When it seemed that she was about to speak Iroh quickly cut her off. "Which brings us to the matter of my son's death."

He said it quickly, not for the sole purpose of startling Toph, but to get it over with. Like holding a scalding pot of tea—he needed to throw it away before it caused more damage. Nonetheless, she was startled. "What's there to discuss? He's dead. You can send me home now."

"Oh you will be sent home, child. I've already spoken with my brother about how the Empires and Gaoling's relationship will continue from here on out."

"And how will that be?"

"At a distance. The royal family will not be visiting Gaoling for quite a few years. And if we do, we will not overstay our visits for longer than a week at most. There will, of course, have to be an ambassador to keep up appearances but I am rather confident in putting the Gaoling Coloy in the hands of your family."

Toph smiled slightly. "We would like that."

Iroh returned the smile with one of his own. She visibly seemed to relax at the prospect. "I want you to be comfortable Toph. Life has been quite unfair to you."

She didn't say anything for a long time. "I'm very grateful, Fire Lord."

"Call me Iroh, my dear. I quite hate the title at the moment."

"Why?"

"Well to start,it was in my name that my son lost his life," he said bitterly. "It's this damned Empire, Toph. I don't want it—I didn't even start it." Iroh closed his mouth very quickly the words had escaped him before he could even think. Toph was leaning back as if the words had shoved her there. He leaned bas as well, painfully aware of how very tired he was. Iroh breathed deeply before speaking again. "I've been looking forward to having this conversation. Since the Avatar escaped, since I took my place as Fire Lord. I've _so_ looked forward to this conversation, Toph. But, you see, I never knew who I would have it with. I hoped it could be someone in the family. My brother, Zuko, _my own son . . . _But it's you my dear. Lu Ten's death made that very clear to me."

She blanched. "How could his death make anything _clear_?" Fir—Iroh my life is worse off without him. I'm miserable."

Iroh raised his hand out of habbit—he slowly lowered it when he noticed that her blind eyes were not even focused anywhere near him. "You misunderstand me. In no way am I _happy_ about what has happened, I am however relieved for your sake because now, thanks to his death you are immune to the Fire Nation."

"Excuse me?"

"You were his fiancé, Toph. You were going to be the next Fire lady. Living your life in Gaoling may have desensitized you to it all but many people were excited, they were interested in the first earthbender to marry into the royal family. Sure some were hesitant but that hardly matters now because Lu Ten has died—more importantly he has died in battle.

"You see, that is quite romantic. Devastating, but romantic. Naturally they all pity you."

Toph scoffed. "Pity me?!"

Iroh chuckled. "Oh, of course you'd hate that but you will have to take it. You will have to take it because it is my peoples pity for you that insures your freedom."

"I can tell you are trying to tell me something important but I'm just not following."

"Have you heard of the White Lotus?"

"Barely," she snorted. "My parents weren't one for bed time stories."

He smiled slightly, stroking his white beard. "But you know of them, nonetheless?"

"Well yes, because I wasn't much for bed time stories either. Tales of the Tavern though—I lived for those."

"Toph, from this moment forward, I want you to realize and accept that the White Lotus is quite real and not just a tale or a legend or bed time story. I also need you to know that I am a member of the White Lotus."

By this time, the sun had disappeared completely abandoning the wide purple sky to the moon. Iroh watched Toph closely her eyebrows were cast downward and despite her blindness her eyes were flickering from side to side. He suddenly felt guilty Was this really the right thing to do? To drag her into this? Perhaps she need time to mourn her fiancé properly before dedicating herself to destroying and empire he was going to inherit.

No. . . She wasn't the type to mourn. And she certainly did not have _any _attachment to the Fire Nation Empire. Much like himself.

"So . . . and I don't want you to see this as seditious," she ventured. Iroh couldn't help but chuckle—this entire conversation was seditious. "But aren't the White Lotus the good guys? . . . Like every time?"

Iroh quickly fell prey to a booming chain of chortles. "Ah, my dear, that is _true_. And now, as we speak, the White Lotus is at large doing what is right. This time the White Lotus has freed the Avatar. This time the White Lotus will prevail again through my help. This time an unlikely pair will work together to restore balance to the world for the first time in a hundred years—the Fire Lord and an Earth Kingdom princess." At the end of his speech the very same Earth Kingdom princess sat with her mouth agape but her eyes—oh! Her eyes, Iroh would write later in his personal scrolls, her eyes shown with such excitement of which he had never before encountered.

_*A few days later*_

Toph had found her favorite place in the world. IT was a few days after her long discussion with Iroh and since then she felt weightless. She hurt less, and she smiled more for no reason. She felt better knowing that thter was someone—someone _important_ on her side. For the first time since Lu Tens funeral ceremony she could breathe—and breathe _deeply_ without getting offended by the hot smoky air.

She took long walks, as far as she could go without getting reprimanded by a guard. "My lady, the palace grounds end here, stop!" She would merely nod before turning around. Sometimes she said something nice to them. To have a good day, or that they looked nice. Ha.

Today however, she found herself in an abandoned temple ground surrounded by trees. She placed her hand on one of the dry trunks, wondering how they managed to thrive in the volcanic rock so well. Then again she didn't know too much about trees, only that their roots disturbed her sight. Ruins were all that remained of the temple. She enjoyed the feel of the dark rock that had soaked up the heat of the sun throughout the day under her bare feet. She spun around once or twice relishing the sheer freedom she felt. She caught herself singing on multiple occasions—songs she hadn't been aware she knew.

It was early afternoon when she was discovered. She could feel the footsteps approaching her when they were a little more than a mile away. Reluctant to move Toph shifted her back even harder against the rock. She was lying on it as if the action could lock her in place.

And considering her abilities she very well could be locked into place.

"You know, that's a Fire Nation Lullaby." A familiar voiced commented.

Toph, startled slightly when she realized that she must have been singing again, shot up from the ground. She made a face when Zuko sat cross legged on the volcanic rock beside her but she made no effort to leave.

"No I guess I didn't know. It makes sense though; you lot are good at assimilation," she snipped.

"Don't be bitter."

Toph dropped her voice an octave. "Don't be bitter," she mocked.

Irritated, Zuko growled lowly. "Why are you here?"

"Exploring. I'm allowed."

"Azula thinks you are avoiding her."

"Well I am. I'm avoiding everyone."

"Should I leave?" he asked.

Tempting, she thought with a smirk. It would be nice if he left her to her solitude. She could sing her lullabies again without caring or knowing if they were of Fire Nation or Earth Kingdom origin. But then again . . . she recalled her conversation with Iroh.

"Planning will be difficult of course because much of it will rely on Zuko's progress. As it should, as it should . . . I know your relationship with my nephew has been a frustrating one, Toph, but his heart is good. He is more compassionate than he leads others to believe. And the spirits have much in store for him. HHe will become distracted, he might lose his way but he will be a vital ally. Do you understand, my dear? We need Zuko."

It hadn't been surprising to hear him speak so highly of his nephew, it was just that what Iroh had said had seemed so prophetic. So now she kinda trusted Zuko with her life. Which was crazy.

What's up with that?

Should he leave? "Nah," she said. "I want to try something."

"Huh?"

"So you're a pretty good fire bender right?"

"I guess . . ."

"No. No guessing. You're good. I saw you on the ship."

"You _saw me_?" he asked incredulously.

"Zuko. On the ship . . . Where I discovered that I could bend metal. I saw you."

"Oh right. I helped you with that. Wait . . . are you complementing me?"

Toph sighed. "Yes. I think you are a really good bender."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you're like as good as . . ." she cleared her throat. "You're as good as Lu Ten. Why are so surprised? I mean given your family, your training and your natural _snobbish attitude _shouldn't you be aware of your _divine _abilities?"

"I'm just not used to getting complimented on my bending. Father was hard on us and Azula was always the best. I enjoy using my dual swords—sometimes even more than my own bending."

Toph was quiet. "Maybe you shouldn't look at things as if there are 'bests' or 'non-bests', you know? Stop comparing yourself to other people."

"Maybe . . . You sound like my uncle," he laughed.

She smiled. "Anyway. What I was trying to get at earlier was that I want you to fight me."

"Uh, what?"

She could feel his heart beat spike. Hopefully it was out of excitement. "You know! Spar with me like you used to with Azula. It would be fun."

"Toph, I don't think—"

"See. You're doing that comparing thing again. You think it's a bad idea because I'm a girl and you're not. Because I'm an eartbender and you're not. And above all you're thinking that I'm blind and defenseless against whatever you decide to throw at me." She breathed deeply before springing to her feet. "So stop comparing and stop complaining. Follow me so we can have some real fun." When he didn't get up, or make any other effort to say anything Toph sighed. "If you get up I'll tell you a secret."

Zuko snorted. "I don't care about some little secret."

"Ah but do you care about a secret not even Lu Ten knows?" She felt a pang of guilt strike her stomach for using her dead fiancée's name just to get what she wanted.

"I'm sure you kept plenty of things from him."

"Nope. Just this one thing," she taunted. She had started walking in circles around him, leaping onto overturned stones and twirling. It was a rather strange sight to Zuko.

Zuko groaned before gathering himself to his feet. "Look, you don't have to tell me. I'll fight you anyway."

Toph grinned wolfishly. "Good, but I'm going to tell you anyway."

After they walked a few paces away from the abandoned temple grounds Toph said, "Okay. So Azula is the only other person who knows about this. She's already promised not to tell anyone about it and I hope I can say the same about you. Can I trust you to keep this to yourself?"

Zuko rolled his eyes as he followed her, thinking that he would probably do just about anything if she only asked. "Yes Toph. I'll take it to the grave," he said dramatically.

"That's what I like to hear. Alright you haven't heard of any of this of course because it's kept real hush-hush in Gaoling. Like I'm talking at least half a mile underground—literally. Every year a pro earthbending tournament is held in an underground arena. The whole event was pretty big before we became part of the empire. People used to come from all over the Earth Kingdom. The greatest, the biggest, and not necessarily the brightest earthbenders competing for some good ol' fashioned gold.

"Now, though it's much more small scale. Most who compete are Gaoling natives, some from Omashu, and the rare guy from Ba Sing Se. Anyway, when I was eleven I started going to them. I started watching the tournaments, and by the next year I knew exactly what to expect from just about all the competitors so I signed myself up as the Blind Bandit—cool name huh? I have a pretty sick costume now too and I win every year."

"Wait so you're telling me that there is an illegal underground league of earthbenders who compete every year? And I'm supposed to keep quiet about it?"

"Please?"

"Toph—"

"No. I'm serious. Nothing bad happens. They're not trying to cause anything. We're all just trying to have fun. Please, Zuko? Just leave it."

He sighed in resignation as he came to a halt. "Fine . . . Do your parents know you compete?"

She snorted, shoveling her toes in the ground. "What kind of question is that? Of course I haven't told them."

"Right," he surrendered. "My bad."

She dropped into a fighting stance, her fingers were curled into fists, nails biting into skin. His heartbeat spiked again when he saw her which just made her sneer at him. "Come on, Zuzu. Think about all the times I put you down, get angry!"

Suddenly he was yelling so loudly that she flinched, she could feel him charging at her. Her heart pounded excitedly in her chest. She almost didn't get the wall of Earth up in time to block the jet of flames he sent for way. After that everything was still. She could feel the smoke dance with her hair before it floated to the sun. The sound of Zuko's heavy breaths on the other side of the wall was deafening. Toph knew that he was pounding his forehead against the wall—the vibrations he gave off were too obvious.

"Shit, Toph." He said breathlessly. He sounded like he was in pain, on the brink of tears. "I can't. I don't know why I can't fight you."

Toph sighed and lowered the wall. "Alright, sit down. Let's get this sorted out." She brought her hands up so that they were adjacent to the sky and ground. "Hands up," she directed. "But don't touch mine. Are they up?"

"Yeah . . . what are you doing?"

"I used to do this for Amo when I first started teaching him. He was afraid of the dark so I had to get rid of that fear before I could condition him to my technique of bending," she explained. "No more questions. I need you to close your eyes . . . Are they closed?"

"Yep," he eked out.

"Alright, this is how this is going to work: I'm going to move my hands back and forth and you have to try to anticipate what I'm going to do. Try not to let our hands touch."

"Are you trying to teach me earthbending?"

"No. This is about your chakras. No more questions."

He almost asked what chakras were regardless of her no question rule but then her hand brushed his and he tried to ignore the electricity that traveled up the length of his arm.

They were quiet for a long while until Zuko grew so frustrated that his ears were smoking and he was having trouble staying seated.

"Relax, Mr. Hotpants. This isn't a test. Just anticipate me."

"You try it, then." He challenged grumpily.

"No, I am Sifu Toph now. What I say goes and I say relax twerp."

After a few more frustrating minutes of awkward hand bumping Zuko got the hang of it. After a while of not getting hit by her hand he began to doubt. Without opening his eyes he asked if she had stopped.

Toph snorted. "No."

"So I'm doing it?"

"Yes."

"And what exactly has this got to with chakras?"

Toph shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it doesn't have anything to do with them. It feels kinda spiritual though doesn't it?"

He shook his head slightly and laughed. "Yeah, I guess it does."

"Ready to fight me now?" she asked hopefully.

"Why do you want to fight me so badly?" he asked.

She dropped her arms to crack her knuckles. "I've only ever fought other earthbenders and I always beat them. I want a challenge."

Zuko finally opened his eyes to look at her. Her face was a little sunburned from being out all day and her pink tunic clashed with her red pants but he though she had never looked more beautiful. He stood up and stretched. "Alright, let's fight."

This time he didn't hold back, he didn't think about anything—not really. Toph would send sharpened spikes of rock and would try to knock him off balance but it hardly affected him. NO more than he affected her with his own counter attacks. It didn't take him very long to realize that he was _anticipating her._ She had taught him something.

Eventually she beat him. It hurt when his back slammed against the hard ground and it knocked the wind out of him, but all in all, getting beat up by a girl four years younger than him made for the greatest day of his life.

She was laughing when she offered her hand to pull him up. By the time he stood up he was still gasping for breath and he was a little dizy. Agni she was beautiful even in a spinning world. Especially.

"That was fun!" she exclaimed.

Her breath blew against the sweat on his neck and has she always been this tall? Almost as tall as her mother.

"Thanks for not roasting me, by the way," she said making to move but he placed a hand on her arm before she got the chance. The motion must have been too fast because he stumbled a little bit. He was still feeling a little lightheaded from hitting the ground. "Whoa, are you okay?" she asked, grasping his elbow to keep him steady.

He pulled her into him, forcing both her arms to wrap around his neck rather than his waist. She squeaked against his ear in surprise. "Oh a hug!" she exclaimed sarcasticly. "So affectionate."

"Shut up," he grumbled. Then he pulled back slightly to lean his forehead against hers. He was hot and there was sweat trickling down his scalp. But all he could notice were her wide eyes and dark eyelashes that threatened to brush against his own. He was trying to catch his breath but he was also trying to make a move on her. He was trying to kiss her. Guilt wormed its way down his spine but by then his hand was on the back of her neck, and his nose was sliding against hers when her breath hitched, and his lips were on hers.

He coaxed her gently until she was moving against him, until her hand was cradling his jaw—fingertips brushing against his stinging scar—until his hand on her waist clutched her tunic.

The first time she pulled away was so she could breathe before turning to his lips again. The second time was so she could murmur his name. But the third time was so she could punch him in the throat.

"What the hell?" She glared.

"I . . .Toph I," he stammered.

"Why'd you do that?" she screamed. "How dare you! I was going to marry your cousin!" Her face was flushed red and never had she looked so dangerous.

Zuko didn't think he deserved to be angry but he couldn't help it. He was seething. "Yeah and he's dead now!"

"So you thought you could swoop in and get lucky?!"

"No, I don't know. I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I just wa—"

"I don't care," she said quickly as if it were an epiphany. "Don't talk to me. I don't want to talk to you ever again." With that she sped past him and ran back to the palace, ignoring him shout after her.

Zuko threw his head back and growled. His eyes started to water. "Stupid, stupid, _stupid_."

A/N: ah finally. The appearance of more plot. I'm not too particularly pleased with Iroh's discussion with Toph but I think what I've given you is about as good as it's going to get. Tell me what you thought on that score. I enjoyed writing about Toph in this chapter, especially her little bit on chakras. Lol I wanted to bring out her abilities as a teacher in this chapter again just because I think it's another testament as to why Toko should be cannon. I mean look at the "Zuko Alone" episode in Book 2 when Zuko taught that one kid how to use his dual swords. While Zuko and Toph are both hard and somewhat unapproachable characters I think it's important to show their knack for patience with whoever they are teaching.

Oh and kiss anyone? Tell me what you thought about that one. Did you expect it? Did you expect it to end like it did?

XAllie


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